"MORE GOOD THAN HARM”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 459, 14 September 1928, Page 13

"MORE GOOD THAN HARM”

OPPOSITION TO BRIDGE HARBOUR BOARD’S ATTITUDE *T believe this opposition of tho Harbour Board's has done more good than harm to our project.” said Mr. A. Blampied, speaking at last evening’s meeting of tho General Committee of the Auckland Harbour Bridge Association, which was presided over by Mr. E. Aldridge, Mayor of Devonport. TT lias appeared as a definite chullenge to the North Shore.” Mr. Blampied continued, “and it has shown that we really intend to uo something.” Tho secretary. Captain C. G. Ashdowne, read reports which had been received from the various Harbour board departments as the result of a deputation from the association having watied on the board. Reports came from the Executive Committee of the board, from the board’s engineer, from the harbourmaster and from the traffic manager.

According to the Executive Committee’s report, there was no statutory authority for any expenditure on such a work. The association’s figures concerning the receipts of the Devonport Steam Ferry Company had been greatly over-estimated, and their statement that a toll of 25 per of the present charges would be sufficient when the bridge was built could not be sustained. Furthermore, they had given no consideration to the question of paying compensation of riparian rights at the bridge terminals. The Harbour Board’s engineer reported that he did not consider the proposed 80ft headroom would give sufficient height for large vessels to pass under safely. On the other hand, a most favourable report was received from the board’s traffic manager.

“In various reports,” he wrote, “that I have submitted to the board in the past, I have touched on the possibility of such a bridge. I may say that the Bridge Association’s plans conform almost exactly to my own suggestions.” In discussing the question of revenue this Report mentioned that in other countries such bridges had always been found to create traffic, and consequently revenue, for themselves. “I think the mere fact that the Harbour Board’s traffic manager—the man who has control of the whole system on which we base our plans—gives us his support is very significant,” said Mr. Blampied, in the discussion which followed the reading of the reports. “As for the question of riparian rights,” he went on, “it has been proved elsewhere that these can easily be extinguished, and we would certainly be entitled to set off the increase in value of the land due to the proximity of the bridge against any such charges.” After further discussion it was decided to defer the reports to the next meeting for further consideration before replying to the board.