Ministry of Works Files – Mercury Bay / Whitianga

The Ministry of Works and Development was the principal organisation carrying out the physical, engineering and environmental investigations for many government departments before it was disbanded in the 1980s. Consequently, the Ministry of Works files contain a wealth of environmental information about the condition of our harbours, coastlines and waterways, both as they were originally, and as they were modified during settlement. To fully understand these files they need to be read in conjunction with information from other Government Organisations, in order to place the investigations into context. For example the development of the West Coast mobile sand dune problems and the subsequent attempts to stabilise them needs to be studied in conjunction with the Maori Affairs Department and the Department of Lands and Survey files. Both of these departments were involved in financing sand stabilisation projects. Eventually the work of sand dune conservation, (formerly done by the Agriculture Department and then by the Ministry of Works Soil Conservators (Water and Soil Division) after 1958), was passed on to the New Zealand Forest Service; who took control of nearly all exotic forest planting and management together with some erosion control functions where pine forests were involved. From 1958 onwards the Ministry of Works Water and Soil Division was the service provider for NWASCA (National Water and Soil Conservation Authority) and SC&RCC (Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council), which authorised the funding for the many soil conservation activities throughout the country. All projects submitted for funding to the Authority by the various Catchment Authorities were examined by members of the Ministry of Works Water and Soil Division to ensure they were soundly based, before funding was approved. Thus, as the adviser to other government departments and NWASCA, the Ministry of Works played a pivotal role in land development and conservation throughout its existence. These files as a result contain a wealth of historical information about; land development, flood control schemes and soil conservation in New Zealand. Because of their extensive engineering knowledge, the Ministry of Works and Development (MWD) reviewed various engineering structures such as wharf construction, reclamations and coastal aggregate mining licenses for the Marine Department and later the Ministry of Transport. From the early 1970s, the Hauraki Catchment Board was beginning to include Coromandel County within its operational district. Thus from this date the Hauraki Catchment Board have file data relevant to the northern part of the Peninsula. A brief summary of the content of the files is given below and a more detailed description of the file content is available in the attached document.

7/17 Harbour and Marine Works: Whitianga Wharf and Mercury Bay Wharf Road. 1923-1948. December 1923: Kauri Timber Company's wharf and public wharf. October 1928: Wharf at Whitianga. 7/1 Harbour and Marine Works Annual Reports 1931-1945. 1931 Plans on file: Preparations for a new wharf at Whitianga. Plans ADO 11420 and MD (Marine Department) 6861. January 1932: Rice grass Spartina Townsendii. June 1932: Annual report. The only significant works was the construction of the Whitianga Wharf. April 1933: Whitianga Wharf completed during the year. 7/1 Harbour and Marine Works Annual Reports 1946-1969. June 10 1960: The effect of the tsunami on the eastern side of the peninsula. 7/17 Harbour and Marine Works: Whitianga Wharf, Mercury Bay Wharf Road. 1948-1980. May 1964: Removal of old Wharf. There is a note at this point that removal of sand from Whitianga Harbour correspondence was moved to file 7/2. There was a period of discussion about wharf construction and file 21/6/9 discusses the life of steel in a salt water environment. October 1979: There is reference to a Whitianga Harbour study carried out through Thames Coromandel District Council. No comments about the detail in the report. 7/18 Harbour and Marine Works. Mercury Bay Foreshore. 1924-1924. No environmental information. There is a request to build a wharf in Whitianga Harbour. No further details. 12/1 Harbours and foreshores: Harbour and river works general 1926-1937: July 1930: Regulations for the reclamation of mudflats for agricultural and pastoral purposes passed and gazette May 1930. 12/243/1: Harbours and Foreshores: Beach sand and shingle supplies, Auckland and Coromandel Areas: This file refers to the “Rabone Report” on sand and shingle resources of the Auckland and Coromandel areas. Rabone, 1950: The Rabone Report described individual beaches and their suitability for supplying sand of shingle aggregate for industrial purposes to Auckland City and some of the supporting investigation information. Much of the file is on the Auckland and Northland region with a later section on Coromandel Beaches. The coverage reflects the reduction in importance of the Coromandel area as a source of industrial sand and shingle for the Auckland area. File 12/243 contains a report dated 1958 which suggests the recommendations by Rabone to close all beaches was too harsh and though sand mining had not stopped after the 1950 report, this report recommended that mining to continue. More detail in attached file. File 6/141. Whitianga Harbour, September 1949 onwards (related file, 96/115000 (River file)). Telephone cable across the harbour. In 1951 a request to install a diesel pump on the wharf came to fruition. It was to go with the existing petrol pump for refuelling fishing boats. A brief history of the Whitianga Ferry is included in the file. It is noted that in 1951 there were problems with the telephone cables. It could not have been buried deep enough and boats anchored in the wrong place were lifting the cable with their anchors (Marine Dept file M4/938 (1941) and M4/3213 (1952) and Post and Telegraph file 8/72/1 show that where the cable crossed was not a prohibited anchorage.) The “old wharf” or “Launchmans wharf” was built in 1910, but by 1953 was high and dry at low tide. This wharf could no longer be used for passengers and freight as it was originally designed. A new wharf was built downstream in 1932 that was usable at all states of the tide. Beach erosion Whitianga 1956 discussed. In 1956 the Whitianga Boating Club applied for a license to erect a slipway (Marine Dept file M4/3585). On February 14th 1961 Coastal erosion protection Whitianga – plans and budgets. In 1964 there was a proposal for a cool store and fish processing plant to be built at the wharf together with improved access for fishing vessels. The file includes an undated aerial photograph of the wharf, some of the sea wall and some of the harbour (Marine Dept file reference M4/2535). Proposals for wharf extensions again become an issue in 1971. Reclamation by White Street (See file 54/1/32). File 96/115 000: Mercury Bay 1931–1971 In 1931 there was an application to drain 1000 acres (404 ha) of Moewai Swamp inland of Whitianga. The file then goes to a request for a subsidy for coastal protection on Buffalo Beach. The Coromandel County Council provided a summary of erosion events from 1960 to 1968 (Files: Works Paeroa 1/2 October 1968, Works Hamilton 63/2 November 1968 and HO 49/198 Feb 1969). Post 1969, the beach eroded and the rock work slumped in places. The County engineer started experimenting with Manuka groynes in front of rocks to try and trap sand. The installation of the gabions and the training wall for the Taputapuatea were carried out during the early 1970s. File 47/16. Maramaratotara The beach is described as “the small bay west of Shakespeare Cliffs”. Apparently the Coromandel County took material from the beach and the locals claimed that the beach had become rocky and in places almost muddy and unsatisfactory for children to swim at. It was noted that locals had removed material at will from the beach so that the condition of the beach was not all the County’s fault. Locals had used the beach for building sand and one group had had a loader on the beach taking several truck loads. It was recommended that no further sand be removed from this beach. File 47/16. Whitianga River Sediment Removal File 74/30/28 Part 1. Coastal erosion surveys. Covers period 1974 to 1983. BOPCC file 21/4. The file notes the existence of the Bay of Plenty Coastal Erosion Survey (1977) and the Coromandel Coastal Survey (1981). The storms of July 1978 appear to have started a review of protection works around the coast. The Thames Valley Gazette in August 1978 gave a review of beach conditions. MWD (Attwood) suggests that beach profiling is expensive and sometimes misleading and therefore recommended the use of aerial photographs to determine the position of the dune toe on each beach. No further information. File 37/32 Removal of Sand Cooks Beach, Whitianga, Coromandel County, File Starts March 1959. A Cooks Beach resident hired a bulldozer to push the dune material on to the beach thus lowering the beach to the level of a "bench" which he said appeared along the whole length of the beach. This levelling enabled the landowner to get a view of Mercury Bay. A complaint was made by persons unknown to Coromandel County Council. Coromandel County Council condemned the actions. March 1959. The same resident wrote to the Minister of Marine suggesting that bach owners be permitted to lower the dune level in front of their sections at their own expense. The Minister requested a Ministry of Works Engineer go to Cooks Beach to inspect the damage. The engineers report includes a schematic cross section of the changes made. 7/21 Harbour and Marine Works: Buffalo Beach Whitianga. 1924-1979. June 1929: A complaint was received that sand and logs embedded in the beach were being removed causing an erosion threat from Eyres Corner to Mercury Bay Hospital (Auckland file no. 22/401). July 1929: The Marine Department has been advised of hundreds of tons of sand being removed from in front of the Mercury Bay Hospital. August 1929: The resident engineer in Paeroa replied that the sand removal was not in the area protected by the Marine Department. Removal was north of the Mercury Bay Hospital. October 1951: A landowner had plans to remove the dunes and place spoil in swampy areas as fill to create sections at the northern end of the beach. December 1951: The proposal was approved provided that blue lupin was planted on sand to prevent wind-blown sand problems. October 1957: The County was concerned about sea erosion at Whitianga. There are no further details. September 1963: A resident of north Buffalo Beach applied to the council for help to plant up an area in pines to protect his farm entrance from erosion. August 1969: The County Council notes erosion of Buffalo Beach near Halligan’s Camp and suggests that SH25 could be eroded. Works engineers visited and commented. 1. The beach may be going through a cycle of low sand volume. 2. The protection work on Wharf Road is settling and if no sand comes ashore the rock wall may need to be extended north to protect the highway. 3. Suggested Manuka fascines to trap sand. September 1969: The resident engineer in Paeroa noted: 1. The protection work not only protected the highway but also private land and public reserves and therefore qualified for a soil conservation subsidy. 2. The original wall was probably built with a Marine Department subsidy. 3. A protection wall similar to Waihi should be considered. A recommendation was given to use rock gabions at right angles to the beach (groynes). Discussion of groynes in attached document. November 1969: District Water and Soil officer requests resident engineer at Paeroa for information after two letters from locals about beach erosion. December 1969 resident engineer reported history of erosion at Whitianga. October 1970: Soil Conservation Council approves funding. November 1971: Six groins built and a request to extend the work by six further groins and to install five smaller groins between those already constructed. December 1971: A new proposal was made after the existing groyne field was eroded after a storm in November. Check Paeroa Office file ½ October 1968. March 1972: Resident engineer provides a summary of costs to SH25. Total cost $12,000 paid from flood damage money. March 1972: Some suggestion that the stone in the gabions was of poor quality. In the same month Soil Conservation Council approved funding for additional groynes. Sea Wall History as supplied to R. A. Simpson Ministry of Works Department Marine Engineer: 2nd August 1960: Owing to serious damage on sea front the County decided to place rock fill. 6th September 1960: Filling suspended because of lack of funds. County decided to try for a subsidy. 4th October 1960: County decided to go ahead with work at an estimated cost of £600.00. The town Board to give £100 towards cost. 2nd January 1961: Serious erosion after recent storm. County asked to do the work and draw on County Town kerb and channelling funds provided they reimburse the County Town fund when they had the money. 9th May 1966: Engineer explained that the work was not complete due to a lack of funds. 13th June 1961: County Town asked for details of work done and why £300 remaining in the account had not been used. 10th October 1961: Question was raised whether Council agreed to spend £1,000 and if so, where the unspent amount was. 23rd October 1962: The Engineer reported the cost of the sea wall would be £1,600 and that a subsidy of 1 for 2 was available. 8th April 1963: Engineers plan for a sea wall of 18 chains (360 m). Estimated cost £1,600 and a subsidy of £500 available. A considerable amount had been done and £500-£700 would finish the job. This cost was to be charged to the County Town. An urgent decision was necessary to take advantage of the subsidy. 28th May 1963: Proposals for a proper sea wall were made with cost estimates of £5,000-£6,000. 11th June 1963: The above proposal was not proceeded with. June 1968: The Wahine Storm did considerable damage to the foreshore and scoured the beach leaving the township vulnerable to serious flooding. The following storm in which the Maranui was sunk caused further damage and the township was in serious danger. November 1972: The Simpson Report of Buffalo Beach was released to the County Engineer. NZ Herald March 1973 article "Sand and land keep sliding into the sea". May 1973: Letter from Ministry of Works Department HO (file 75/10/56) requests further information, June 1973: Harbour Master Mr Ross commented that during the Chilean tsunami the sea receded exposing the inner harbour floor and Buffalo Bay sea floor. Much of the inner harbour entrance channel was scoured out. Many old moorings, previously buried in the harbour floor, were exposed and some were lost. June 1973: Thames Star reports that the Whitianga County Town Committee was not happy with the groyne construction delays. June 19-22 1973: Jeremy Gibb visited the Coromandel beaches with a view to assessing their present condition and to make recommendations for management. He was also to inspect Buffalo Beach erosion problems and report on a solution. Report made available August 1973 (scanned link). July 25 1973: The Hauraki Plains Gazette reported serious erosion at Buffalo Beach. Seas were breaking over the road at high tide. Locals were pushing for action. November 1973: Thames Star report supports the County engineer for chasing the necessary equipment to carry out the recommended observations. November 1973: A follow-up report following a visit by Mr Gibb was sent to Coromandel County Council. The report notes: 1. Sand had been accreting since the June 1973 visit. 2. Sand was accumulating under the wharf. The Ferry was being tied up on the channel side of wharf as the usual berth was too shallow. 3. Accretion at south end of Buffalo Beach offshore. 4. Eddy still present, causing a net flow into the harbour through flood and ebb tides. 5. Tidal velocities range from 0.6-2.0 knots towards the harbour during maximum tidal flows. Velocities offshore reached 5-7 knots. Mr Gibb considered that the 1970s were a period of accretion on the east coast following the erosion events of the 1960s and made a number of recommendations for Whitianga. This report was summarised in the Thames Valley Gazette in March 1974. 7/2 Harbour and Marine Works: Removal of sand Coromandel Peninsula. 1958-1970 In the 1950s the Lands and Survey Department was responsible for all Crown land and this included river and stream beds. Ministry of Works and the local County Councils often used shingle from local streams for roading material. To simplify licensing these activities and Lands and Survey issued a blanket licence to Ministry of works to take shingle from all rivers and Streams. The Ministry of Works then issued permits to the County Councils and sent in a quarterly return to the Lands and Survey Department. Much of the contents of this file contains these returns from the different areas of the Coromandel Peninsula and the collated summaries sent to the Lands and Survey Department. August 1951: There several memos referring to illegal taking of sand and shingle from beaches. Associated files Paeroa 24/256, SH39/1/1 and SH72/25/2C/6 also Paeroa 24/1256 October to December 1960. April 1967: There was an application by Parry Brothers Ltd. to take sand from Whitianga. The resident engineer again thought that Whitianga not the best place to take sand. He did note that if the permit was given, echo sounding of the area before the operation began and then some time (years) later could give an idea if removal was affecting the beach. 7/2 Harbour and Marine Works: Removal of sand Coromandel Peninsula. Volume II 1970-1974. Note: This file contains 3 monthly returns of material taken from beaches and streams in the Coromandel Peninsula and sent to the Lands and Survey Department who was responsible for Crown Land. This summary does not include these returns and anyone wanting to know where and when material was taken will need to consult these files at Archives NZ. July 1971: The MWD applied to take 800 yds3 (612 m3) of sand from the Tarapatiki Stream, Buffalo Beach for road building. October 1971: Approval for two applications to take sand from Kuaotunu; 75 yds3 (57 m3) for one permit and 600 yds3 (460 m3) for a resident of Whitianga. October 1971: Coromandel County applied for permits to take material from a number of beaches and streams, 7/2 Harbour and Marine Works: Removal of sand Coromandel Peninsula. Volume III 1974-1976. May 1974: The Lands and Survey Department lost control of sand mining in rivers and beaches to the Mines Department. Control of sand removal now came under the Mines Act 1970. Ministry of Works now told that would have to apply to the Mines Department for a blanket approval to take sand and shingle from the catchments of the Peninsula. This was a continuation of the system run by the Lands and Survey Department. Ministry of Works then issued permits to remove material to local bodies and contractors. May 1974: Ministry of Works were told by the Mines Department that shingle removal from streams etc. was better dealt with under the Lands Act 1948 and that the Lands and Survey should control such licences. May 1974: An inspection of Buffalo Beach showed that the seaward end of two groynes were covered with sand and that the ends of three others showed only 6-8 inches (150-200 mm) above the sand level. The shore-wards section of the beach showed 1-1 ½ baskets above the sand level at the toe of the rock slope. 7/2 Harbour and Marine Works: Removal of sand Coromandel Peninsula. Volume IV 1977–1981. February 1977: The Ministry of Transport instigated a requirement that the local Catchment Authority would have to be involved in approval of any sand mining operations. June 1977: Ministry of Transport asked the Ministry of Works if there were any other beaches that were suitable for mining out of the public eye. August 1978: The resident engineer Paeroa sends a letter to Hamilton District Office indicating that the Hahei storm damage might indicate erosion of a similar magnitude occurred at least twice in the past. Present sand miners were warned that all applications would be reviewed downwards and after a year were likely to be terminated. March 1978: The Hauraki Catchment Board and Ministry of Works agree to work together on matters of coastal sand extraction. June 1978: The Thames Valley Gazette ran an article that reviewed present sand mining permits. Included was a report by R.W. Harris, on "Sand and Shingle Extraction from Coromandel Beaches and its Relation to Coastal Erosion"

Mercury Bay area, including Hahei, Cooks, Maramaratotara, Whitianga (Buffalo), Ohuka (Brophy’s) and Wharekaho (Simpson’s) beaches. Also includes Whitianga and Purangi estuaries.

1924-1979

various Frequency of collection: mixed

Data quality: varied

Hard copy files. Some images and maps scanned. Detailed notes attached. Some images and maps held by Waikato Regional Council.

Available from Waikato Regional Council.

Historical information.