Auckland’s Harbour Bridge Advocated By 12 M’s.P.

Grey River Argus, 24 July 1948, Page 3

Auckland’s Harbour Bridge Advocated By 12 M’s.P.

P.A. WELLINGTON, July 23. The possibility of his visiting the United States, after the end of the present session of Parliament, to obtain up-to-date tunnelling equipment, was mentioned by the Minister of Works, the Hon. R. Semple, when replying to-day to a deputr*ion of 12 Auckland members of Parliament.

Mr Semple was discussing plans for an underground railway in Auckland. “The Commissioner of Works, Mr E. R. McKillop, has been sent to London to get the best equipment, and he is also going to the United States”, said Mr Semple. “I may go myself, after the session, if I can, to get to know the best methods available. I am satisfied that the Americans can beat us hands down, underground. How they do it, I don’t know”. The Minister also said that another task for 'Mr McKillop was to try to obtain engineers from overseas.

Mr Semple revealed that 2600 tons of steel was being imported from Belgium, as well as 400 tons from England. The Belgian steel would cost £6O a ton, as against £25 a ton from Australia.

New Zealand could do with twice as much steel as it was getting. While overseas, Mr McKillop also would endeavour to interest contractors in England and the United States in the construction of the Auckland Harbour Bridge. The District Commissioner of Works in Auckland, Mr R. H. Packwood, said that the Auckland Harbour Board had agreed to carry out tests, by a modified form of boring, for the foundations of the bridge. This was being done on behalf of the Works Department, and at the cost of the Government. The bridge would absorb at least 10,000 tons of steel and 12,000 tons of cement, which would build 500 rural bridges. In a later reference to the bridge, Mr Semple said that world-wide tenders would be called. .