BRIDGE COMMISSION

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 842, 10 December 1929, Page 11

BRIDGE COMMISSION

(Continued from page 1.) The report presented at the last faceting of the council was submitted jjy Mr. T. Bloodwortli. chairman of the Town Planning Committee of the City Council. To Mr. Marchbanks, Mr. Bloodworth fcai'l it would not be possible to fix the exact amount of the betterment ! in the property. The council did not approve of payment by toll, or erection by a syndicate. Mr. Furkert: By what process of records will the council know when the project will be economically justiBloodworth: That will depend largely on production in the North. "There is ao need for a bridge to facilitate the accommodation for city ratepayers in respect to housing for some years to come,” said Mr. James Tyler, acting-city engineer, summing up a statement of property statistics. ►lf the bridge were built, settlement on this side of the harbour would no doubt be somewhat retarded.” future population The total number of existing and potential building lots in the residential areas yet unbuilt on within the city area (Newmarket excluded) jn a radius of six miles from the Post Office, and allowing 5 per cent, of unsubdivided areas for reserves, is "6,712. Assuming a density of 4.5 persons a lot, the additional population which could be absorbed was 164,825. The figures did not include 77o' acres of Tamaki and 720 acres of Avondale outside the six-mile limit. ■Within the three-mile limit, 17,455 more people could be absorbed ; within four miles, 43,411; aud within five miles, 81,806. With the population capable of being absorbed. Auckland City, within six miles of the Post Office, would eventually have a population of "66 800. At the present rate of development, this would he brought about in 98 years, with growth from the centre of the city. Captain E. J. Redmond, staff officer bf the Northern Military Command, giving evidence this afternoon ou behalf of the command, said it was considered that the bridge would be Ot great assistance in the event of the mobilisation of troops.' "Many people in my electorate have motors and I myself saw a long string ot cars waiting for a vehicular ferry the other day,’* said Mr. G. C. Muons, MP, for Roskili. “I think the bridge is an urgent necessity, and the toll system is the only just and equitable method of payment. As a member of Parliament, I think the bridge, as a lane to the North, should have a contribution from the main highways funds.” TRANSPORT BOARD APPROVES For the Transport Board, Mr. J. A. C Allum, the chairman, said the board would offer no objection to the inclusion of the North Shore under the terms ot the Transport Act. The bridge would be used to run a transharbour service. It was necessary that any bridge should be as near as it was practicable to the centres of population on both sides. Mr. Allum said the demand would be met even were a grade of 1 in 15 encountered. Mr. A. E. Ford, manager of the board, gave evidence, and, m answer to Mr. E. H. Northcroft, said he did not think there would be a traffic jam if 100 buses were required to run within an hour. (Proceeding.)