Sand storm over as beach project flows

By WAYNE THOMPSON

A barge carrying a load of white sand anchored off a tiny North Shore beach early yesterday to restart a replenishment project that had been bogged down in cultural controversy.

The Birkenhead-Northcote Community Board's plan to cover rocks with sand at Hilders Park, Beach Haven, halted in November 2002 when a Ngati Whatua representative said sand from another tribe's area was culturally unacceptable.

The representative, Jane West, was widely reported as saying the sand - from Kaiaua on the western shore of the Firth of Thames - was unacceptable because it included elements of blood and bone from another tribe's area.

The advice of Ms West, as a representative of the tribe in resource management matters, had been sought by Paul O'Brien, manager customer services for the Harbour Ward of the North Shore City Council.

Ms West, a longtime Beach Haven resident, later explained that her objection was a matter of the sand being moved without full consultation between iwi on both sides - Hauraki where the sand was collected and Ngati Whatua where it would be dispersed.

The board had to postpone what was intended to be a low-key, low-budget job because it doubted whether it could afford the work without using the cheap sand from Kaiaua.

Mr O'Brien said the board went on to consult more widely - to seven other iwi groups who expressed an interest.

They did not raise cultural objections to the sand being used.

Resource consent was given last month and three barge loads ordered for $16,000 - the original price. The board has the money to pay for the resource consent and barging cost.

The unloading of the sand was a welcome sight for 79-year-old Frank Larking, who has worked voluntarily since 1948 to save the 100m beach from erosion.

"It was a hell of a thrill for me to see that sand - it's taken a long time," he said.

The returned serviceman recalled how he shovelled mud from the beach into a barge and rowed the barge over to Hobsonville where he unloaded and then loaded with sand for the return trip.