HARBOUR BRIDGE

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 February 1929, Page 3

HARBOUR BRIDGE

- 1 ■ HIGHWAY BOARD’S REFUSAL (Special to "Star.”) AUCKLAND, February 12. Little hope of financial assistance for the proposed harbour bridge was given to members of the Harbour Bridge Association, who waited on the Main Highways Board yesterday, to enlist the Board’s sympathy with the scheme. The Chairman (Mr A. E. Jull) said: —lt would be idle for me to pretend the Board can take into consideration the construction of this ’bridge within the next few years in view of our commitments in both the North and South Islands. I suggest that you secure the co-operation of the 200,000 people on the city side of the harbour, and show the Board that the bridge is necessary when time arrives. I can tell you that for the next few years, the Board cannot take into consideration the expenditure of such a sum. It cannot be done in 1929. Mr E. Aldredge (Mayor of Devonport): Well, make it 1930. Mr Jull: Make it 1939 if you like (laughter). We have our commitments for a considerable time ahead. BOARD’S FINANCIAL POSITION. (Special to “Star.”) AUCKLAND, February 12. The financial position of the Alain Highways Board was reviewed by the Acting Chairman, Mr A. E. Jull, when the Board met the Auckland Automobile Association yesterday. “We have heard that the Board is said to be affluent, that we cgn embark on any enlargement of schemes in hand without hesitation,” said Air Jull. “Ag a matter of fact, the position is vastly different. The revenue now stands at £1,142,973, while authorisation for maintenance and construc-

tion works total £1.365,457, leaving a cash shortage of £222,484. We do not anticipate these authorisations will be taken up before March 1, but they are there to be used. There is £200,000 which we have authority to collect from the Treasury when they are prepared to let us have it. There is £50,008 still to be transferred from the Public Works Account and a further £87,784 in tyre and petrol tax, which has been collected, but has not yet been paid to us, making a total of £137.784. Leaving out of account the money which was loaned to the Treasury two years ago, we are still £85.000 short in our accounts.” In the construction of the main highway in the North as far as Maungaturoto, the Board had the biggest road undertaking ever put in hand in the Dominion. There were 600 men at work together with 90 horses and 36 lorries. This represented an obligation which called for very careful consideration by the Board, which in addition was overwhelmed with applications for additional roads and high contributions for maintenance. Other parts of the Dominion were just as much entitled to aid. The Board was carrying out a great volume of work in Auckland and North Auckland districts. In reply to a question. Air Jull said that of the 600 men employed in the North, all were working on contract, and none on- the 14/ per day basis.