THE HARBOUR BRIDGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20243, 1 May 1929, Page 17

THE HARBOUR BRIDGE.

AIMS OF ASSOCIATION. COST OF THE STRUCTURE. "Great things have small beginnings and that applies to the harbour bridge project, ' said Mr. li. H. Greville, president of the Auckland Harbour Bridge Association, in an address to members of the Karangahape Road Business, Promotion Society at their luncheon yesterday. The president, Mr. M. J. Bennett, presided and among the visitors were the executive of the association.

"A year ago the Harbour Bridge Association was formed and it now has 1100 financial members," said Mr. Greville. "On the committee we have members of the fdur North Shore boroughs and the Waitemata County Council and after tomorrow's municipal elections we hope to have members of the Auckland City Council and the Mount Eden Borough Council."

The speaker added that the bridge must be looked upon from a Greater Auckland standpoint, as it was not only a North Shore project, but would undoubtedly benefit the public in general by opening the fine beaches on the East Coast. The bridge would become an integral part of the main highways, as in three or four years there would be an all-weather road from the North Shore suburbs to Kaitaia, and when this road was finally constructed it would be only a logical step to have it connected with Auckland city. The cost of tlio bridge would be governed by the height and length of the spans and the depth of the water. It had been estimated that a bridge starting at sea-level from the reclamation to the west of the Western Wharf, rising to a height of 96ft. in the centro and finishing at sea-lovel at. a point midway between Shoal Bay and Northcote, would cost £850,000 at the most. The Sydney harbour bridge had been financed by means of a rating system, but the association did not desire to place an undue burden on ratepayers to raise funds for the proposed Auckland bridge. A vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Grcvillc.