THE AVONDALE BRIDGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8267, 28 May 1890, Page 6

THE AVONDALE BRIDGE.

COST OF ITS MAINTENANCE. An inquiry as. to the responsibility of the local bodies in this district for the maintenance of the Avondale Bridge was held yesterday morning, some dissatisfaction having been expressed because the city did not contribute. The inquiry was held before Dr. Giles, R.M. Mr. Cotter, city solicitor, appeared on behalf of the Auckland City Council, and a number of the members and officers of various road boards were present, including Messrs. Adam Porter, J. K. Walters, Pocklington, Cranwell, Greenwood, and Cox. Mr. S. J. Ambury, Mayor of Newton, and Mr. Currie, town clerk, also attended.

Mr. J. M. Alexander said he appeared on behalf of the Avondale, Mount Albert, and Point Chevalier highway districts to resist the allocation. Ha said he supposed that as the Waitemaba County Council had nob objected, they wore prepared to bear onehalf. Mr. Alexander urgod that the great, bulk of the traffic across the bridge came from the city. Mr. James Peck doposed that by the instructions of Mr. Bollard, he had during six days in March last, taken the register of the traffic over the Avondale Bridge, and had counted the number of horses, vehicles, and foot-passentrers travelling across. Witness had been employed at the Waikomiti Cemetery for about four years, since its opening. Up to the present time there had been about J 800 burials there, and the greater part of these came from the city. Some of the funerals were by rail, when the Cemetery was first opened, but there were very few by rail now, and almost all of them went, by road. Mr. John Bollard deposed that he had been a resident of the Avondale district for

28 years, and had been chairman of the Road Board for 21 years consecutively. The principal traffic across the Avondale Bridge was from the city, and during the last few years the holiday traffic had been very large. On last Boxing Day, in the afternoon, he and a friend counted 1000 persons returning from the picnic parties in the bush, and they then stopped counting. With very few exceptions these people were in vehicles. Mr. Bollard gave further evidence to show that the districts immdiately surrounding the bridge did not derive much benefit from the bridge.

Mr. Henry Peck deposed that the principal tratlic over the bridge came from the city. Mr. James R. Walters gave evidence to similar effect.

Mr. A. Porter said that the traffic over the Whan Bridge was very large, and he had no hesitation in saying that since the Ist of January 10,000 people crossed the bridge from the city of Auckland. Everyone of the vehicles which had carried them was licensed, and no portion of the license fees wont to any of tho Road Boards. He thought that in fairness to the whole of the surrounding bodies, the city of Auckland should pay its proper share, and that other bodies should also contribute. The Eden Terrace district was prepared to pay on this condition. Mr. Greenwood objected that the Mount Roskill district should contribute, as the bridge was altogether out of their line of road.

Mr. Atnbury said that the Borough of Newton did not object to pay, if other bodies, which derived as much advantage as they did, such as Parnell and Newmarket, and the different Road Boards, also contributed. The Borough of Newton had now to contribute towards the maintenance of two boundary bridges. Mr. Cranwell said that the Mount Eden district were willing to pay a fair share for the maintenance of the bridge. When the Court resumed after luncheon, Mr. Cotter addressed His Worship, urging that the city of Auckland should not be compelled to contribute to the cost of this bridge. It was a new thing altogether that a charge should be made for a bridge outside the city's boundary, and the present demand was no more justifiable than would be an application that the city should pay a share for the maintenance of the W'aiwera bridge, which many people crossed in going from Auckland to Warkworth, ami in returning from Warkworth to the city. As the Avondalo bridge was a great convenience to the Waitemata county the great bulk of the cost of its maintenance should come from that county. Mr. William Anderson, city engineer, gave evidence, and this concluded the inquiry. His Worship said that the particulars before him were vague, and that no guiding principle had beon laid down. He would, however, consider the matter, and report to the Government.