HARBOUR BRIDGE PLAN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21951, 7 November 1934, Page 9

HARBOUR BRIDGE PLAN

THE VEHICULAR TRAFFIC A TALLY TO BE TAKEN The directors of the Auckland Harbour Bridge Company met, the Mayors of Northcote and Birkenhead, Mr. R. Martin and Mr. G. Mills, in conference on Monday. The object was to ascertain the progress made with the project, and whether the local bodies could reasonably help in any direction in furthering proposals for financing the construction of the bridge. At the conclusion it was stated that the lengthy and amicable discussion had resulted in a better understanding of the position. A letter from the company before the Northcote Borough Council last evening requested that body to take an official tally of the vehicular traffic and buses at the earliest opportunity, independently of the City of Auckland. The letter added that advices from London indicated that "the failure of the receipt of official opinions, together with the lack of present-day tallies, has seriously interfered with the provision of the finance for the harbour bridge." A copy of a letter sent to the Auckland City Council was attached. In this a request was also made for a traffic survey of the vehicular traffic crossing the harbour and also of the number of buses arriving and departing at the several wharves on the North Shore.

A report received from the company's London correspondent stated: "We feel quite certain that the money can be obtained here if you can provide for the financiers in London some official report to offset the only official report at present existing—that of the Royal Commission of 1929. All that was required of the Government and the Auckland City Council was to lend officialdom to the compilation of data required to show that the bridge, if constructed, would prove a sound investment."

The Mayor, Mr. B. Martin, said lie had been in close touch with the company quite recently and he had been surprised at much of the information imparted. The position was still hopeful and under the circumstances he moved that the council should comply with the company's request. The motion was carried.