AUCKLAND HARBOUR BRIDGE

Chronicle (Levin), 11 September 1946, Page 6

AUCKLAND HARBOUR BRIDGE

— Press Association

SHOULD BE GOVERNMENT JOB COMMISSION'S REPORT

By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, Sept. 10. The construction of a bridge aeross Waitemata Harbour, Auckland, is reeoiiimendcd by the Royal Conmussion which inquired into trans-narbour facilitics iii tlio Auckland motrop.olitan area and approaches- th'ereto. Th'o commission, which referred to the competitive demand w-hich the bridge would . create- for labour if its construcfion Avere begun too soon, stated that but for this. and other postwar factors it would have liad no hesitatiou in recotnmending that a start, be made with the bridge at the earliest possible moment. The report of the Commission, which eomprises Sir Fraucis Frazer (chairman ) and Messrs. W. K. Beaver and R. H. Packwood, was presented in the House of Representutives today by the Minister of Finance. The Commission recommended the adoption of a system of toll charges to finance the cost of construction arnl maintenance of' the bridge. Other recommendations were that as ioon as a specialist staif was' avai-labie, investigations and economic studies should be put in liand and that the actual date of the eommencement of work itself should be dotermined in the light of the economic eonditions prevailing when designs and specifications were coiupleted. The Commission said it could not over-emphasise the need for devoting adequate time to investigations and studies of the project, all directed toward economy. The Commission statcd that ii construction were commenced in 1951. the bridge could be opened in 195b' as a paying proposition from the outset. The estimated cost of the bridge anu approaches at pres.ent day prices, wa given as £3,000,000 but if construction was doferred for llve to ten years, the Commission was of the opinion the cost should not exeeed £2.400,000. Tlie estimated cost of the approaches was £1,000,000. The Commission recommended that the bridge should cross the harbour from St. Mary's Bay boat harbour to Htokes Point, Northcote. The Conuui.s sion considered that only the Govern nient could undertake providiug- and [inancing such a work and that the Goverument should reserve full controi of administration and operation of tiobridge. Part of the work of construction could be carried out by private enterprise. Tt was recommended that the whole capital cost be provided by tlie Government and recovercd w-itli intercst. from toll revenue, with the oue exce;)tion that £500,000 should be interest freo for 20 years. The Minister of Works said tonight that because of its jweoccupation with sessional work, the Government had not vet been able to givc more than preIjniinarv eousideration to the report and in any event the Government felt no dWtsion :-'sh'duld be'AMde Until' the people affected had the' opportunity of considering tlie reconnnertdat ions/