BRIDGE POLITICS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 501, 2 November 1928, Page 16

BRIDGE POLITICS

ASSOCIATION ASKS FOR SUPPORT QUESTIONS TO CANDIDATES “The Harbour Board is the people’s board, and is there to do the people’s work. It is simply opposing the harbour bridge scheme because it stands to lose a certain amount of revenue,” said the chaiman, Mr. E. G. Skeates, Mayor of Birkenhead, at last evening’s meeting of the committee of the Auckland Harbour Bridge Association. This statement was made during the discussion which followed a suggestion by Mr. Toner, that the Government should be asked to call a conference, consisting of representatives of the City Council, the Town Planning Board, the Harbour Board and Bridge Association, to decide finally on a site for the bridge. As an amendment, Mr. G.'O’Halloran suggested that the request should not be made until after the elections. The motion was then carried. QUESTIONS TO CANDIDATES Sixteen replies were received from parliamentary candidates in and about Auckland to a questionnaire which had been sent to them by the association The questionnaire asked whether the candidates were in favour of the harbour bridge scheme and, if so, whether they would support legislation to raise capital for the building of the bridge. Some of the candidates refused to give any written pledge of their support, but the greater part of the answers were favourable. It was reported by a member of the committee that a statement had been made in public that Mr. A. Harris, Independent Reform candidate for Waitemata, had, a few months ago, spoken against the harbour bridge proposals Mr. p’Halloran stated emphatically that this was quite incorrect, and that the Bridge Association had every reason to be grateful to Mr. Harris for the support he had given them. The secretary. Captain C. G. Ashdowne, reported that during the last month 61 names had been nominated for election. These nominees were accordingly elected. The total membership of the association now stands at something over 1,000.