WANTED, BUT NOT YET

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 471, 28 September 1928, Page 16

WANTED, BUT NOT YET

HARBOUR BRIDGE REPORT WHAT CITY COUNCIL THINKS “I consider the construction of a bridge across the harbour is not now warranted, but its future construction could be considered as a iikely possibility. and provision should be made on both sides of the harbour for the approaches when arranging any townplanning schemes.” This was the substance of a report made to the City Council by the city engineer, Mr. W. E. Bush, last evening. He pointed out that the bridge scheme was inquired into by a commission in 1920, when there were three proposals: (a) From Point Chevalier to Kauri Point, 10,600 feet; (b) From Point Erin to Northcote Point, 5,000 feet; (c) From Freeman’s Bay reclamation to Northcote Point, about one mile.

The opinion then was that unless the exigencies of the railway service made the first site preferable the (b) suggestion was the most suitable, and a.iy small amount of inconvenience to shipping would have to give way to t’ e convenience of the public. The cost, including provision for trams, for the (b) proposal was set down at £950,000. The commission decided that the present population did not justify the expenditure.

Mr. Bush pointed out that a bridge to Northcote would not give the facilities for either passenger or vehicular traffic required by North Shore. Its greatest use would be to give more direct access to North Auckland. In view of the engineer’s report, the City Council decided not to take any action in the direction of supporting the bridge.