BRIDGE COMMISSION.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 293, 11 December 1929, Page 11

BRIDGE COMMISSION.

INQUIRY CONCLUDED.

SUGGESTED JANUARY SITTING

TRANSPORT BOARD'S ATTITUDE.

"The Bar desires to convey appreciation of the manner in which the commission has addressed itself to these lengthy proceedings," said Mr. R. McVeagh, counsel for the Auckland Harbour Board, at the conclusion of the Harbour Bridge Commission inquiry yesterday afternoon. . "At times you must have found it somewhat tedious and marked by repetition, but you have suffered it with a degree of magnanimity which we greatly appreciate." Mr. J. Marchbanks, chairman, said a further sitting might be necessary in January, but this could not be decided until the evidence had been carefully reviewed. The final witnesses were Mr. J. A. C. Allum, chairman, and Mr. A. E. Ford, manager, of the Auckland Transport Board. Mr. Allum said the Transport Board had no objection to the inclusion of the North Shore district in their area, in terms of the Act. The board would be prepared to run a transport service to the suburbs across the harbour, and he considered Fanshawe Street would provide one of the most convenient access routes to the bridge on the city side. Taking constructional difficulties into account the bridgeheads should be situated as closely as possible to the m-iin centres, of population.

A grade of 1 in 25 would be desirable for motor vehicles using the bridge, said Mr. Ford. The board's"fleet had "at present to cone with grades up to 1 in 8.75 on severaT city outlets, and would be nrepared to onerate on p. 1 in In srrade. but, he added, thev "did not relish it," Captain E. J. Redmond, staff officer of the Northern Command, deputed to give evidence on behalf of the D-fence Department, said the bridge would certainly be of srreat assistance to the military authorities. Mr. G. C. Munns, M.P. ; for Roskill, favoured the toll system of collecting revenue, and considered the Highways Board should contribute towards the cost of construction.