WHO WILL PAY?

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 230, 28 September 1929, Page 9

WHO WILL PAY?

» COST OF HARBOUR BRIDGE. NEW ZEALAND, OR AUCKLAND? PRIME MINISTER "SURPRISED." (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. Who will pay for the Waitemata Harbour Bridge? Reference to the vital question of finance was made by the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) in the course of his speech early this morning. He had been answering the pleas of Auckland members for important Auckland works, and he said that four "items" totalled £4,720,000. On top of that, said Sir Joseph, Mr. A. Harris (Waitemata) had asked that the Waitemata HarbourBridge be built at the expense of ytfew Zealand. That had never previously been suggested. Up till now the Government had only been asked for survey facilities, and he had undertaken to do that. As a matter of fact, Cabinet had just appointed two members of the Commission, and it was waiting for the Auckland Harbour Board to approve the third before making the name public. It was surprising to hear Mr. Harris suggest that the bridge be built at tho cost of the New Zealand taxpayer. The Government had always understood Auckland would build it.