MANGERE BRIDGE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 77, 1 April 1913, Page 5

MANGERE BRIDGE.

APPORTIONING THE EXPENSE. COMMISSION HEARS FURTHER EV_—_£. The proceedings of the Mangere Bridge Commission were continued yesterday afternoon, the Commissioner, Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., presiding- Representing the local bodies concerned were Mr. A. E. Skelton (Mangere Road Board), Mr. R. McVeagh (Onehunga Borough Council), Dr. H. D. Bamford (Otahnhu Borough Council), ~Mr. Stanton (Auckland City Council), and Mr. Clayton (Newmarket Borough Council). William Oliver Lane, managing director of Ambury's, Ltd., said that about four of the firm's vehicles crossed the bridge every week. About £19,000 was paid toy the firm annually for milk received at Mangere. Replying to the Comm_ioner, witness stated that of the milk the firm supplied to Auckland, about fifty per cent came from Mangere. Of this amount, half was consumed by the residents of the city, of Auckland. HEAVY CATTLE TRAFFIC. When the Commission resumed this morning, the first witness called was W. C. Mitchell, in charge of the stock department of Bnckland and Sons. He stated that he had had seventeen years' experience in the cattle trade, and was in charge of the cattle delivered at Ota_hu saleyards. The cattle were driven from Onehunga, via Mangere and Otahuhu, to the saleyards, where there were 140 acres used as accommodation paddocks on tbe Mangere side of the railway line. About a thousand cattle arrived every year at Onehunga per steamer, and all. came over the bridge, but not quite half went to Otahuhu. Alarge number of sheep also came from Onehunga, and used the bridge. Cattle were sometimes detrained at Mount Albert, or driven from Hele-Bville by road, and all used the bridge. The Otahuhu saleyards held the biggest sales in New Zealand. Frank ArQvmf Wanstone, grain and seed merchant, said that he did an extensive business with the Mangere dis-j trict. In twelve months his firm had purchased 'between £1,000 and £1,200 worth of produce in Mangere, and the whole of that produce went dyer the bridge. IMPORTANT SALEYARDS, . William Joseph Conrad Christie, auctioneer for Dalgety and Co- said he was in charge of the stock department. His firm was one of the largest that dealt in stock in New Zealand. The Otahuhu saleyards were the most important in. ; the provii—, and were the largest beet saleyards in New Zealand. To Dr. Bamford '(Otahuhu Borough ' Council): Half the cattle came from the South to the saleyards, a quarter by rail, and the balance from the North and 'by boat to Onehunga: The Royal Oak ' Road was a convenient route for taking stock to Otahuhu. Church StTeet would ' be the shortest route from Onehunga. At this stage Mr. Skelton intimated ! that it had been decided that Newmar- • ket could not be held as a party, and, 1 with the Commissioner's consent tbe ' name of the Newmarket Borough Council was struck out. , . ■ - At 12.10 p.m., after a.consultation be- • tween counsel, Mr. McVeagh (Onehunga ' Borough Council) announced that if the ' Commission were 7 adjourned until the • afternoon, an: arrangement would. prob- ' ably be arrived at whereby the task of ' taking evidence might, be considerably ' shortened. ~ ' The Commission was then. adjourned ' by his Worship until 2.15 p.m. ~ .; OTAHUHU'S OFFER ACCEPTED. > After resuming, Dr. Bamford (Otahuhu Borough Council) said he "had. conferred r by telephone with the of • Otahuhu, and had been authorised to • admit that a contribution of 5 per cent - would be regarded as, reasonable by the • Otahuhu borough. For the benefit the • borough might derive, the contribution was perhaps, rather high; but; it waft . recognised that the work was one that , woufd benefit the whole district. Mr. Skelton, on behalf of the Mangere . Road Board, intimated-that the offer , would be accept—> -■- ■•• :-■■■. '■■•;