HARBOUR BRIDGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20827, 20 March 1931, Page 14

HARBOUR BRIDGE.

' • • Sir,~l have noticed the erection of the , propo'sed new harbour bridge justified on the ground of creating employment. ■ Should this propoped scheme come into operation, surely most of the employed would have to be skilled steel workers. . But if, instead of a harbour bridge, which would cost a fabulous sum to - erect, a roadway were built up connecting the two nearest points, (similar to that bufilt for railway purposes in the/. Orakei Basin or at the Whanparei Harbour), with a short span of bridge work in a suitable position to allow small craft admission to the upper reaches of the harbour, this would create a. considerable amount of work for hundreds of \; unskilled workers. Then, too, the question of reclamation at Shoal Bay could profitably be considered, both on account vl absorbing much of the now idle man. power in and around Auckland, and also as a means 'of creating rates and ultimately a direct increase in revenue therefrom, -A- M. Thomas, Stanley Bay.

Sir,—May I suggest that "One Who Thought Twice" should yet again give consideration to this question of the harbour bridgo. He has entirely overlooked the fact that under the present propolis neither the Government nor the local bodies will be asked to contribute one farthing toward the building of the bridge. It is proposed, I understand, that the money be found from outside souces Jiy the builders of the bridge, thus bringing into the country a very large sum. of money for expenditure- within -the country upon a scheme which should be self-sup-porting from its initiation. The scheme will have as a permanent monument a bridgo across the harbour. The bridge will give direct access to large tracts of undeveloped lands within a stone's throw of Auckland city, and, further, will provido a direct route to the "Far North," and to the many at present.wasted opportunities for land settlement which can be found there in the considerable areas of the almost- frost-free country.

Wacpapa.

Sir,—'One Who Thought Twice" is not correct in the assertion that the actual construction• of the bridge would' not ab-

sorb unskilled labour. At any rate we have hundreds and thousands of both skilled and unskilled walking the streets crying . out for employment, The «xpenditure of capital on productive works p preferable to the. ghastly waste of money expended in assisting lQcal bodies in carrying out unproductive improvements, or householders in doing up their front gardens and back yards, and would not be such a wanton and a ridiculous waste of money. As for comparing the proposed; ' bridge with our new railway station, if it can serve as useful a purpose and be as worthy of our beautiful and progressive city as is this latest addition to our public buildings, few will have cause to complain. The benefits of a harbour bridge are incalculable, they have been rehearsed over and over again.

A Practical Thiniieb.