NEW WOMEN'S CLUB.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 171, 21 July 1936, Page 13

NEW WOMEN'S CLUB.

DEBATE ON HARBOUR BRIDGE

At the New Women's Clul) meeting held in their clubrooms, members were entertained by a debate on "That the erection of a bridge across the harbour would benefit Auckland and district generally." Mr. J. Fordy established a good case' for the negative, Mr. C. H. M. Wills was equally convincing for the affirmative. In opening hi 6 attack Mr. Fordy gave it as his opinion that as yet there was no justification for the incurring of the hugh debt which the harbour bridge would entail. The suburbs which would mostly benefit were only very sparsely populated, and the North not sufficiently tieveloped to warrant such a hugh expenditure. However, said Mr. Fordy, if the crection of the bridge could be accomplished without increasing taxation the chief objection would be removed. Mr. Wills then sought to point out to his listeners the many advantages of the proposed bridge. As a connecting link in the highways of New Zealand the bridge would be of enormous value to the whole travelling population of New Zealand. Land was not cheap in the North on account of its barrenness, said Mr. Wills, but solely on account of the difficulty of access. The North was rich in wonderful beaches and residential sites, but the present antiquated method of transp.ort to and fro was a most effectual block to their being made use of. Then again, said Mr. Wills, the men required for the erection of the bridge would very materially assist the unemployment problem. The use of national credit through the Reserve Bank of New Zealand would quite simply answer any objections on financial grounds. l'ae president, Mrs. Darlow, presided and hostesses . for the afternoon wen Mesdames Nicol, Claj and Forrest.