BRIDGE COMMISSION

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 791, 11 October 1929, Page 8

BRIDGE COMMISSION

TWO ENGINEERS AND MASTER MARINER EXPERIENCED MEN Two engineering expert* Jnd - master mariner will comprise . h commission set up to in vest in.;! the question of erecting a brido' across Auckland Harbour. tJ' announcement of the setting u . of the commission, as reported . THE SUN yesterday, fo lowed , meeting of Cabinet at which tS question was finalised. Mr. F. W\ Furkert, Chief of the Fublic Works is probably the best known officer , the Public Service, having been closely identified with the majority of th principal works carried out in la . Dominion in recent years. Mr. Furke>was born at Ross. Westland, and via, ' educated at Wellington Technical Col lege and the Otago University. , 1906 he had charge of the construe' tion of the southern end of the Main Trunk railway. In 1913 lie made world tour, and in 1919 was made sistant-engineer-in-chief of the Public Works Department, taking char-e !in the following year. Recently Mr Furkert conducted an inquiry into the causes of the bursting of th* Monty Eden reservoir.

Mr. Janies Marchbanks, chief eu. gineer and general manager of Wellington Harbour Board, was a member of the commission that r». cently inquired into the provision of access to the eastern and western suburbs of Wellington. He has occupied his present positiou for many years, and during his regime many extensions have been made to the harbour facilities, and plans laid for the reclamation of portion of the harbour.

Captain Coll McDonald, of Dunedin, who was nominated by the Auckland Harbour Board, will bring a wide and practical knowledge of New Zealand and other harbours to bear on th» subject. For more than 40 years hs was in the service of the Union Steam Ship Company, and during that time he commanded 26 of the company; vessels trading on the coast and ia overseas services. When he left tha sea he occupied shore positions ia various centres, and was finally appointed chief marine superintendent of the company. Captain McDonald spent. seven years in shipyards in Britain, during which time he superintended the construction of the Niagara. Maunsanui, Wahine, Kamo, Avenger, and other well-known vessels. During the whole of the war period he was delegated by the company to act as its representative in connection with the organisation of transport. He retired from the service of the Union Company five yoars ago. For the past six years Captain McDonald has been a member of the Otago Harbour Board. The order of reference is now being prepared by the Public Works Do. partment.