HARBOUR BRIDGE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 681, 5 June 1929, Page 9

HARBOUR BRIDGE

PRELIMINARY INQUIRY TO BE MADE £SOO FOR REPORT A vote of £SOO «s to be provided by the Government to make the preliminary report upon the construction of the Auckland Harbour Bridge. This announcement was made by the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, last evening. A mention of the bridge was greeted by cheers and applause, and Sir Joseph laughingly responded; “l take it that this is approved by a majority of the people in this hall. “Personally I am in favour of the inquiry being made, and I propose to set aside £SOO for the report, and to set it aside without delay. “Before you make a bridge you must have some reliable authority to report upon the best place to put it, thti cost, and the possibility of it being a success. 1 want to help the people who are advocating this structure. and this £SOO for the report is a fair start. (Applause.> Then later we will consider the question of ways and means.”

Some people advocated a system oC collecting by the issue of tickets. Though he would not commit himself, the Prime Miinster did not think that this means would be successful. When the investigation had been completed, and it was thought that a bridge was neoded, Auckland would have it.

PROMISE NOT NEW MR. HARRIS CRITICISES "PROFOUNDLY DISAPPOINTED" “The £SOO promised by Sir Joseph Ward at his meeting last evening, for a preliminary report on the proposed harbour bridge, was promised by the late Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, on October 9 of last year.” So said Mr. A. Harris, M.P. for Waitemata in discussing the harbour bridge proposal with a Sun man today. ‘ I am profoundly disappointed,” Mr. Harris continued. "I expected some definite lead from the Prime Minister, particularly as the matter has been before Cabinet over and over again ever since the Government took office. Mr. Coates promised the £SOO following on the favourable recommendation made to the Government by the A to L Public Petitions Committee, which considered a petition bearing 25,000 signatures presented to Parliament by myself in support of the harbour bridge. Sir Joseph Ward has merely given effect to a commitment of his predecssor.” “Ever since the present Government took office.” said Mr. Harris, “I hare been urging the setting up of a departmental inquiry or other tribunal to consider the bridge proposal in all its bearings, as w-ell as to afford local bodies and others interested an opportunity of submitting evidence thereon.

“Up till now, I have been unable to get anything definite from the Goveminent in reply to my request. Apparently we have made no advance whatever under the United Administration, although some candidates during the election campaign assured their audiences that if the United Party was returned to power, the bridge would be proceeded with without delay. "The one gratifying feature of last night’s announcement, was the spontaneous outburst of continued applause when Sir Joseph intimated his intention of speeding on the harbour bridge question,” concluded Mr. Harris. “That should at least convince him that there is a very definite and pronounced public opinion behind the movement—certainly not confined only to North Shore.”