BRIDGE COMMISSION.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 200, 24 August 1929, Page 12

BRIDGE COMMISSION.

FIXING THE PERSONNEL

DECISION NEXT WEEK.

START ON BOEINGS THE WEEK AFTER.

The president of the Waitemata Bridge Association (Mr. R. H. Greville), who went down to Wellington to confer with the Government over the setting tip of the commission to inquire into the proposed bridge across the harbour, returned to Auckland this morning. He says he thinks Cabinet will adopt the proposals of the association, which were that the commission should comprise Mr. Justice Blair, the Director of Town Planning (Mr. J. W. Mawson), Mr. E. Allan, of Buckland, and one of the P.W.D. technical officials. While in Wellington, Mr. Greville interviewed the Minister of Marine and also the Hon. A. J. Stallworthy and the Hon. J. B. Donald. The Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) had promised that Cabinet would go into the matter next week..

Mr. Greville's attention was called to the statement of the chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board (Mr. M. H. Wynyard), who stated in an interview that the board would oppose any commission that did not include a harbour engineering expert. Commenting upon this statement this morning, Mr. Greville said his association would oppose the appointing of any harbour expert, for the simple reason that it would be quite competent for th» Harbour Board to call whatever export evidence it wished. There were other local bodies just as interested in the proposed bridge as the Harbour Board was, and if the board was to be represented on the commission, why not all the others?

"I feel sure." said Mr. Greville, "that tho interests of the board will be fully protected by the personnel of the commission, which will include an onirinecr of the Public Works Department."

tMr. Greville said it was expected Cabinet would give its decision concerning the commission next week, and that a "start would be made on the borings the -week after. At first it had been proposed to spend £300 on preliminary borings, but later it was decided that the amount should be increased to £000. The association had been in negotiation with a firm that undertook such exploratory work, but now that a larger sum was to be expended the matter would have to be reviewed. The work would be carried out by contract.