TAKAPUNA WANTS BRIDGE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 837, 4 December 1929, Page 1

TAKAPUNA WANTS BRIDGE

Development of Shoal Bay evidence before commission “ANY site further west than Northcote Point would be too ft remote to serve tfce interests of Takapuna,” said Mr. J. W Williamson, Mayiar of Takapuna, giving evidence before the Harbour Bridge Commission this morning. He said his council preferred the Beaumont Street-Shoal Bay site. His own opinion was ths.t Shoal Bay should be reserved for industrial and harbour development.

The commission consists of Mr. J. Marchbanks, engineer to the Wellingiou Harbour Board (chairman); Mr. F. W. Furkert, engineer-iu-chief of the piiblio Works Department; and Captain C. McDonald, retired master mariner, of Dunedin. Giving evidence late y esterday afternoon, the Hon. J. B. Dcnald said, in advocating the bridge he was not saying where the structure should go. Were the bridge placed within reanonable limits of the city, he believed the population of this North Shore would be doubled witffiin five years. There were great possibilities for the production of produce on the North Shore, and Its marketing about a month before that grotwn on the southern shore of the hartaour. Thousands of people on the Aucikland side would migrate to the North Shore once the bridge was built. "I consider the bridge Is overdue,” Mr. Donald said. “Even the traffic we have at preseitit is sufficient to warrant the buildifng of the bridge. Twenty years ago the building of the bridge was suggested, and people were advised to wait. People say today that we should wait for 20 years. The Chairman; If the tolls do not pay, do you think the bridge board should have the, right to levy a rate in the district is benefited to cover the-deflciency? Jft. Donald: 1 think that would be reasonable. In reply to Mr. Furkert, witness said Auckland, should be prepared to shoulder some responsibility in return (or the benefits that it would derive.

When the Commission resumed this morning, Andrew Murray, engineer to the Waitemata County Council, continued his evidence. To Mr. Northcroft: In regard to damage caused to cars on the vehicular ferries hy salt spray, witness said that this would occur on an average ot about one in every ten trips. Mr. Furkert pointed out that in San Francisco the ferry boats were covered in. Mr. Nlbrthcroft: If this salt spray trouble is likely to become a serious matter the Ferry Company would no doubt adopt some protective measure. In the course ot his evidence, Mr. Murray said the main factors governing the lack of progress in the ridings ot his county directly affected by the bridge had been for want of good road access and the need for better harbour transit facilities. Good main roads through that area had now been provided by the expenditure of large sums of loan and grant moneys, but there yet remained the barrier imposed by the harbour crossing. This was the missing link

in the roading system of the North, said Mr. Murray, and would

be a fitting conclusion to the (Inal metalling of a through Northern highway linking Waipapakauri in the North with Wellington in

the South. He said the Main Highways Board bsd at present under way a programme ot works entailing an expenditure ot approximately £250,000 spread over five years on northern access, which programme would not be completed, without the provision of the Harbour Bridge. toll charges again Further particulars regarding the catimated traffic over the bridge were submitted by Mr. R. H. Greville. He said that for the purpose of the table acjor-biises had been eliminated. ~he Chairman: What does that mean. Does it mean that there will * I°ll charges on buses? witness: Not altogether. It means 'bat we need not charge on buses, here would be enough traffic without them.

Chairman: That is your opinion, witness: An opinion based on Vancouver figures. ‘^ r - Northcroft: You suggest that ssengers in buses will not pay toll. Ju propose also to exempt passengerhriay'llf ’ Te hi<les. Do you think a 'dge board would be justified in I®® that at the expense of other nicies, I strongly suspect propasanda in this. b. Witn ? as: The bus passengers would Paying in other ways: on goods V* ®? rr ied over for them. Mr. Northcroft: I cannot imagine rh ®* r * age firms agreeing to jiay toll while a big bus proprietor Pkid nothing. th < "karli?s Augustus Cawkwell. clerk to 4S ® wbitemata County Council, said . cent, of the ratepayers in the 1®. “dings affected resided in Auckeuburbs. The figures he was co ‘ u show the progress of the , unty during the past 20 years were ® IDg submitted on behalf of the unty council, but the opinions he Jessed were his own personal rw ° ns ' He was Bivine those as a e Payer of 25 years’ standing, and °ne closely in touch with those most ■su ed ky ibe position, th i Ba ' d w ould like to clear up “® impression that had been sugttisted that the bridge agitation was “®* thing. Back in 1901 he had ended meetings of citizens urging 1 of a bridge. r 10 th e Chairman: He believed many Po , e ? ayer s would be pleased to be rS '® d for a bridge. ,j *“• chairman: Has that been offi■F considered by the council? witness; No, but it is the impres-

sion I have gained in speaking to various ratepayers.

Mr. Meredith: lam a ratepayer over there, and I ha.ve never been asked whether I would like it. POPULAR POLITICAL PLEDGE

Mr. Cawkwell said that from his experience of raising loans he did not think that the money for the erection of the bridge would be lent on the security of tolls alone. Personally he considered that if a poll were taken it would be carried. “The citizens on both sides

want the bridge and at the last election many of the members of Parliament sneaked in on a promise to support the bridge proposal,” said Mr. Cawkwell.

Witness added that when Sir Joseph Ward mentioned the harbour bridge at his Town Hall meeting, which was largely attended by city ratepayers, there was as ovation lasting several minutes. Mr. Northcroft: That was probably good organisation on the part of the Bridge Association. “Mr. Groville is president of the Bridge Association and he stood for Parliament, but he did not get in,” added Mr. Northcroft. “CALL THE BLUFF” Witness said he believed the best way to go about the proposal was to take a poll, “and call the bluff.” Let the other side defeat it if it could. To Mr. Stanton; Although we do not propose to adopt the methods of the City Council, perhaps we could put a Bill through and build the bridge without consulting the ratepayers. Gerald O’Halloran, member of the Waitemata County Council, Waitemata Electric-Power Board, and a vice-presi-dent of the Harbour Bridge Association, said he did not think that anything the Ferry Company could do would suit them.

Witness also gave evidence a 3 to the development which he considered would take place at Birkenhead and other places as a result of the erection of a bridge. Mr. Meredith: Mangere, with its fertile soil, has been given access by a bridge for some years. Do you consider that extensive development has resulted there. Witness: But Mangere is not Birkenhead. Mr. Meredith: In fairness to Mangere we must agree. WILLING TO BE RATED

That the Takapuua Borough Council considered a bridge to be a vital necessity to the borough was stated by Mr. J. W. Williamson, Mayor of Takapuna. He said his council asked that the construction of the bridge, if authorised, be from the Vicinity of Beaumont Street (Auckland harbour reclamation) to as near as engineering possibilities will allow, the middle of Shoal Bay, on the northern side, and, as an alternative site, not further westward than Northcote Point. it considered that any site further west than Northcote Point would be too remote to serve the interests of Takapuua. His own opinion was that Shoaf Bay should be reserved for future industrial and harbour development. The council was thoroughly of opinion that the finance of the bridge should be arranged so that the user should pay tolls. Also, it considered that the work should be regarded as being of national importance, yet of such pronounced importance to the borough as to justify the council in recommending the ratepayers to agree to inclusion in any rating district formed to secure the loan, and in that way to bear a fair share of financial responsibility. In the event of a bridge being provided it would also be possible to bring a water supply more readily into the Northern Boroughs. Mr. Williamsou, in referring to the growth of the borough improvements, said that it appeared from figures that Takapuna had made rapid growth in the 20-year period 1906 to 1926. In that time the population has increased from 856 to 6 040. and in the five-year period, 1921 to 1926, from 3,910 to 6.040. His council considered that the existing traffic returns on the ferry are of little value in estimating tolls revenue as the dependence on vehicular fen Y transport deters residents on the North Shore from keeping cars or ireelv using them. Secondly, it deterred an enormous volume of holiday traffic from going to the North Shor.., the traffic preferring to Eollow .he open road. method of finance

foncluding. Mr. Williamson said his council was E in favour of a toll bridge and of the suggested method of finance outlined by the association as follows: —"Local authority to be set up with power to raise the money necessary by a bond or debenture issue the same to be retired out ot he earnings of the bridge, such issue to be on the security of the budge, and guaranteed by the State, o grant a construction company a charfer to erect the bridge and take the roll for a definite period, such, toll to be sufficient to cover interest, sinking fund and maintenance on the capita? ouUay. and to be reduced as the !- ffi li n o C d re ?he eS WlSge a to be handed

over to some local authority or authorities as a free bridge without encumbrances; and thirdly, by a national art union. ,' r ° M /- Meredith: His family paid hnr y ' S^ COnd of the rates in the >orough. He would prefer a classified late on the land rather than a tax based on betterment. He could not !?,tl % .? ny . detailed fl eures as to the cost of the bridge being supplied to his council. TOLL. ESTIMATE CRITICISED tv- A ?i. pro ? lised tbe Previous day, Mr. Korthcroft submitted a return of crt) ssed Vancouver l ')■>« B6 J° r hc 12 months ending IJ-S. He submitted that the follow‘“K. revenue, based on the Vancouver Budge, would be obtained:—S4O 417 cars at Bd, £28,013; 73,609 lj-ton trucks at Is 6d, £5,520; 22,037 1?, to 3i-ton trucks at 2s, £2,203: 34,497 24 lrucks at an average of 3s” £5,175; one 5J to 8-ton truck at ss, ss; total, £40,991 ss. Add one ninth total on Vancouver traffic, £4 557total, £45,468 ss. ’ The assumed cost of the bridge according to the Harbour Bridge Association, was £BOO,OOO, and it was submitted that on the evidence given, it would require to earn S per cent., making a total annual charge of £64,000. On the figures proposed, and on the tolls submitted, such a bridge, presuming it will require earning power of only 8 per cent, and presuming that the traffic will be 3,000 vehicles a day will commence with a loss of almost £20,000 per annum.

Captain C. E. Hood, a marine surveyor at Auckland, and for many years a commander of ships, said there was now no reason for high masts. Many of the modern vessels now carried telescopic masts. He was of opinion rather than make provision for ocean-going steamers in the upper reaches it would he more convenient to berth them down at Kohimarama, where there was ample room for development. In view of the distance from the railway facilities he did not think that Kauri Point would be used as a harbour. Mr. R. McVeagh: The Tofua has been up the harbour and she requires a head clearance of 118 ft. Mr. H. Wynyard, chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board, said the board’s paramount obligation was to protect its harbour and wharves. He considered the port authorities should carefully watch any proposal that may affect the future development of the harbour. The board was of opinion that no bridge-should be erected east or a line between Point Erin and Northcote. He said the board did not desire to oppose the construction of a bridge, hut did oppose anything that might tend to diminish the facilities of the port. He was aware of the value of deep water frontages and the difficulty of getting enough deep water in Auckland might easily place considerable value on the deep-water frontages higher up the harbour.

BORINGS DELAYED HARBOUR BED DIFFICULT TO INVESTIGATE DEEP SILT IN SHOAL BAY Adverse weather conditions and strong currents are hajnpering boring work on the Waitemata bed in connection with the preliminary harbour bridge investigations. The contractors, under the direction of Mr. E. A. Gibson, of the Public Works Department, engineer in charge, have completed only two of the 13 proposed bores, and were at work today on the third. This morning buoys were placed at the Shoal Bay entl of the survey line from Beaumont Street. Here silt is encountered nearly 100 ft deep in places, the accumulations of years in the backwater formed by the outgoing tide. One bore takeu in the bay showed first traces of papa rock formation under about 80ft of mud. This was covered by nearly 50ft of water. Actual boring” operations, which are being done by Mounce and Company, well-borers, take only a few hours, but the accurate mooring of the barge containing the apparatus is a lengthy task. Work was not completed yesterday until nearly midnight. The contractor is confident that t%vo bores a day could be made were weather conditions suitable. A total of 13 tests are to be made, six on the line to the centre of Shoal Bay, four on the Beaumont StreetNorthcote Point route, and three on the line from Curran Street (Point Erin) to Northcote Point. It is expected to have these completed by Christmas. A sharp circular bit is lowered from the bargs at the end of a length of 3in pipe sections. This makes a complete record of the various strata through which the bit passes before a solid bottom is reached. It will be some time before the deductions from these specimens taken will be known. This will be quite accurate enough for preliminary work in giving an indication of the foundations on the three lines, said an engineer this morning, but information would not be nearly full enough for even an estimate of costs or for the consideration of the bridge design.