A STEP NEARER

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 571, 25 January 1929, Page 16

A STEP NEARER

HARBOUR BRIDGE TO BE SUBJECT OF INQUIRY DEPARTMENT MOVING A telegram dispatched from Wellington yesterday morning by Mr. A Harris, M.P., was read at last evening’s meeting of the committee of the Auckland Harbour Bridge Association. Mr. Harris informed the committee that the Minister of Public Works had agreed to arrange with Cabinet for a departmental inquiry on the subject of the bridge. The meeting came to the conclusion that the purpose of the inquiry would be to consider the spending of the £SOO recently allocated for a bridge survey, and that probably it would finally determine the site of the bridge. The president, Mr. E. G. Skeates, moved that it telegram should be sent to Mr. Harris requesting him to ask that the inquiry be held in Auckland, and that the Bridge Association, the Harbour Board, and any other bodies interested be invited to give evidence before it. The vice-president, Mr. G. O’Halloran, reported on the deputations which had visited the Harbour Board and the City Council. He summarised the Harbour Board’s attitude by saying that they wanted the whole harbour, all the harbour, and nothing but the harbour. The chairman of the board, however, had said that he would advise his board not to oppose the association’s request to the Government to have a tribunal set up to inquire into the bridge scheme. The City Council, likewise, had raised no objection to the association’s request for a tribunal, and, in Mr. O’Halloran’s opinion, the deputation had left the Mayor and councillors very much better disposed to the bridge than before. Mr. A. Marks commented upon a statement made by the Mayor to the deputation. The Mayor, said Mr. Marks, had told the deputation that the Bridge Association had never before approached the City Council. This was directly contrary to fact, because almost immediately after the foundation of the association a letter had been sent to the council outlining the proposed work, and Mr. Marks himself had written to the council. Both letters had been received with derision, and afterwards ignored. “All I can say,” said Mr. Marks, “is that the Mayor of Auckland has a veishort memory.” The secretary. Captain C. G. Ashdowne. reported that a public meeting had been held in the Chamber of Commerce on December 13. About 00 people, including several members of Lae Harbour Board, had attended, and he was confident that since the meeting far greater interest had been shown in the association in Auckland. Arrangements were made to send a deputation to the Highway Board renresentatives. who are due to arrive in Auckland on February 11. The purpose of the deputation will be to discuss the Highway Board’s future programme with reference to those parts of Auckland which will he served by the harbour bridge.