HARBOUR BRIDGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22579, 18 November 1936, Page 15

HARBOUR BRIDGE

PROSPECTS OF SCHEME MR. HORN I BROOK'S VIEWS AWAITING CABINET'S DECISION Satisfaction with the prospects of Auckland having a harbour bridge in tho near future was ex pressed b.v Mr. M. I>. Hornibrook, managing-director of the M. I!. Hornibrook Proprietary, Limited. of IJrisbane, yesterday afternoon. just before lie left by the Awatea for Sydney. Mr. Hornibrook recently submitted to the Government an offer to build the projected bridge for 1-1,800.000. this figure to include approaches to the bridge and viaducts to connect the structure with Bayswater and Devon port. Mr. Hornibrook said that he expected to return to Auckland toward the end ol this year or early next year.

"Since arriving lure a month ago on my first visit to Auckland I have become very vvell satisfied with the prospects of the bridge," said Mr. Hornibrook. "It now depends on the attitude of the Government as to how soon work can be started and the bridge placed in operation. 1 understand that the matter is coming before the next meeting of the Auckland City Council and 1 hojie that they will make a speedy decision. "'This proposition to build a bridge over the Auckland Harbour is by far the best toll bridge project that 1 have ever investigated. The volume of traffic using the ferries has improved far in excess of expectations. For instance, the 1 figures for vehicles using the ferries are 25 per cent ahead of those for 1935, nnd if the ferry returns show a further increase of 6 per cent in each of the next four years—about the time the bridge would take to complete—we would then only need twice the traffic on the bridge than would then be using the ferries to make it a successful venture.

"As 1 have previously stated, 1 have been most conservative in my traffic estimates and even the critics with whom \ have discussed the matter agree with me that the bridge should at least carry four times the amount of traffic that uses the ferries. However, we have estimated on the basis of only 2J times the present-day ferry traffic. As to the number of passengers likely to travel over the bridge bybus, I am prepared to reduce the estimate by two-thirds, although 1 am quite satisfied that once passengers are in the bus they will not leave it to complete the journey by ferry." Referring to a suggestion that a bridge from Fanshawe Street to Northcote Point would disfigure the harbour, .Mr. Hornibrook said that a bridge such as they proposed to build would be an adornment to the Waitcmata. SUPPORT FROM NORTHCOTE GOVERNMENT URGED TO ACT Efforts to secure unanimity of action by all sections of the northern nnd Auckland residents regarding the proposed harbour bridge were urged at a meeting of the Northcote Borough Council last night. The Mayor, Mr. R. Martin, pointed out that an expression of opinion had recently been given 011 behalf of the local bodies 011 the northern side of the harbour, as far as Rodney and Warkworth, that the Government should undertake the work ns part of the national highway. It was unanimously decided to strongly urge the Prime Minister to favourably consider the offer submitted by the M. It. Hornibrook Proprietary. Limited.