HARBOUR BRIDGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 204, 29 August 1929, Page 8

HARBOUR BRIDGE.

PERSONNEL OF COMMISSION, DEVONPORT COUNCIL DEBATE HARBOUR BOARD SUPPORTED.

The constitution of lc the commission which is to inquire into the harbour bridge proposals was the subject of an animated." discussion at last night's meeting • of - -the- Devonport Borough Council. Eventually it, was decided, by the casting -vote of the chairman (Mr. J. Hislop, the Deputy Mayor), to suppart the suggestion of the, Harbour Board that the commission should include at least one member- possessed of t expert engineering knowledge with , special relation to marine work. A motion that no action be taken was defeated, and by a supplementary vote the council decided to discuss at its,next meeting in committee its general attitude on the question and the evidence it would submit.

Mr. W. S. Campbell refused to record his vote. He said he was an opponent of the bridge scheme., He would never support it until he had a guarantee that it would not involve extra rates for Devonport. "When that is assured, I don't mind if there are fifty harbour bridges," he added. The discussion opened when the Deputy Mayor criticised the constitution of the commission as proposed by the Harbour Bridge Committee. He understood it was proposed to consist of Mr. Justice Blair, as chairman, Mr. Mawson, Director, of Town Planning, and a Mr. Ebenezer Allen. He did not know who Mr. Allen was, but it looked as though the commission as proposed might, have quite a tinge of party They could approve the appointment of a judge as an impartial chairman, capable of sifting and weighing the evidence, and there could be no objection to , the inclusion of the Director of Town Planning, but there was a great, deal to be said for the inclusion of an engineer with knowledge of harbour engineering. An engineer .and a man able-, to speak .with authority on the probable cost of the scheme' were very necessary. , .:... j , . . : ,;•' /'Merely to Take Evidence." Mr. G. Falla: Is the proposed number sufficient ? Would it not be better to have five, instead of three?

Mr. Campbell: They are not to decide the question; they are merely there to take the evidence.,

Mr. Cassels Brown: It. U probable that -tne Public engineer, Mr. Furkert, will'be added to the commission by the Government. Personally I do not attach so much importance to the constitution of the commission. They , will simply take the evidence. It is our main'duty , to decide what evidence shall be given on behalf of the council. . ;'■■• ~

Mr. T\ Walsh remarked that to ask the right to nominate the commission was to make a joke of the whole thing. Mr. C. M. Brown: There hap been a lot of talk on the question, and the impression will be gathered from this discussion that the council is divided in opinion, as to whether a bridge is desirable or not. Let us take a straightout vote on the question. ,

Mr. Walsh: The main point is that a body weighing evidence on such an important subject as this should be one which carries the respect of experts, and also that of the general public. The members as proposed may be very able men indeed, and yet have no knowledge whatever of marine engineering. ■ The-. Vote was then taken, the success of the Deputy Mayor's amendment negativing Mr. Little's motion* that no action be taken.