THE HARBOUR BRIDGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22580, 19 November 1936, Page 15

THE HARBOUR BRIDGE

(( Sir.—Mr. R. E. Brett hopes that "wisdom will prevail in the acceptance of the magnificent offer now extended to us." 1 join with him in hoping that wisdom will prevail, but where is the magnificence of the offer? An engineering concern is willing to arrange finance for and carry out the project provided that the Government guarantees the interest on its cost. Compliance with this condition would he equivalent to the issue by the Government to the financiers of gilt-edged stock or bonds which any investor would take up with alacrity. Upon such terms the bridge could long ago have been financed many times over, and many would have been the engineering firms scrambling to secure the contract for its erection and this without need of assistance from the Harbour Bridge Company. If the Government is disposed to favourably consider the proposition 1 sincerely hope that its concurrence would be available only upon terms which would put the control of the undertaking and any profits there may be in its own hands, and that tenders would be called for the work of construction. _There would be no lack of firms willing and anxious to do the job at competitive prices. There is no reason why profits should not go into the bag from which losses would have to be extracted. By all means let wisdom prevail. Cautious.

Sir, —As this subject has received so much public attention lately I looked up the Auckland Harbour Bridge Empowering Act, 19:51, and I find the following provisions: (1) It is impossible to call upon ratepayers to pay one pennv piece toward the cost or to the upkeep of the bridge. (2) The company cannot make a profit. All surplus over interest, maintenance, and other capital charges must be absorbed in reducing tolls. I he maximum charge for a "baby" car will be ninepence each way and for a five-seater one shilling each way irrespective of the number of passengers carried. The minimum charge depends upon the volume of traffic. (See No. 2 above). (4) The maximum charges lor buses, commercial vehicles, lorries and etc. will definitely be less than the present charges. The minimum depends upon the volume of traffic. (See No. 2 above). Considering the above points, and also the following facts:—(a) The distance to the city from the North will be shortened by about 20 miles, (b) The distance of places in the northern boroughs from tho city will be about the same as to places served by the Auckland tram service, (c) Under the present system, tho transharbour charges will go on for ever. Under the proposed system the bridge must pay for itself in a reasonable time, when the Bridge Company will go out of existence and the bridge will be free for all time.' (d) In 1928, 27,000 residents petitioned for the building of the bridge, and that tho number of petitioners could to-day easily be quadrupled, I can only say, let us get on with the bridge. H. Y. Preston. Hauraki Road, Takapuna.