SUBWAYS OR BRIDGE?

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 469, 30 March 1909, Page 5

SUBWAYS OR BRIDGE?

- - ■■■■■» SYDNEY HARBOUR. SCHEME TO LINK UP NORTH SHORE. BIG FIGURES. (UYTELEUIUPH— MESS ASSOCIATION—COPIHIQHT.) (llco. March 29, 10.45 p.m.) Sydney, March 29. The report of the Royal Commission on communication between Sydney North (tlio North Shore) and Sydney favours subways, on the grounds that the fainvay of tho harbour would not be obstructed, as it would bo by a bridge; also, that the capital cost of the subways would be less than that of a bridge. The report recommends three separate subways, for tho following purposes:— Cost. £ (1) For railway traffic, with a city terminus in Moore Street ... 753,000 (2) For tramway traffic 460,000 (3) For vehicular traffic 502,000 Total cost w 1,715,000 The report points out that tho subways can be constructed separately,, whereas a bridgo would have to be completed before any of tho respective services would be available. POPULATION GROWTH AT NORTH SHORE. ' The provision of better means of communication between Sydney and its suburbs oa the northern shores of Port Jackson has been discussed for many years. Though the North Shore is separated from the heart of the city by a strip of sea less than a mile across it can only «o reached overland by a slow and tedious journey around the headwaters of the harbour with its many winding inlets stretching far inland, A bridgo across the harbour or a tunnel below it will become a necessity before long with the growth of population. Some interesting evidence was given before the Commission by Horace Alex. Smith; ActingChief Assistant in the Bureau of Statistics, as to the population and growth of tho Northern Suburbs. Hβ dealt with the phenomenal growth of population, particularly in the northern suburbs during tho last 1(1 years. In some instances the increase had been as high as 600 per cent. Mosman showed an increase of 685 per cent., and in the Kuringai shire in six years the advance was almost SGO per cent. Since 1901 it had been about 2| per cent., and the future growth would probably bo about 2J or 3 per cent, yearly. Estimating the increase at 3 per cent., the population of the city would probably be 775,000 in ten years, and over a million in 20 years, and in 50 years over millions. > , The North Sydney increase for six years was, witness added, at a rato of 7 1-3 per cent. There was still ample room for further growth in the northern suburbs, and if the expansion moved at a 8 per cent, rato it would be over ■JOfI.OOO in 20 years, as against 64.000 to-day. Witness was confident that the North Shore districts could carrv a population of 1J millions, with ft density of ii an acre, as compared with Paddington's 55: