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should be regarded as a necessity or a convenience depended largely upon its cost ; at a high cost it might be a possibility but also a decided disadvantage. The Townplanning Committee was of opinion that the principle of betterment should be applied, and that part of the cost of construction and maintenance should be raised by a levy or rate on lands advantaged by the bridge ; also that the cost of approaches and street works rendered necessary by the construction of a bridge should be included in its cost. The work of erection should be undertaken by the Government, and, when erected, the control of the bridge should be vested in an appropriate authority. The Acting City Engineer put in tables showing the vacant building-lots available, and the additional population that could be absorbed thereon. The total number of building-lots in the residential area still unbuilt on within the city area, in a radius of six miles from the Chief Post Office, was 36,712, and 334 commercial sites in the city proper, sufficient with a density of 4-5 persons per lot for an additional population of 164,825 people. This did not include 770 acres in Tamaki and 720 acres in Avondale, which was beyond the six-mile limit. It was estimated that the population on the Ist April, 1929, was 102,000, and that the ultimate population within the six-mile limit was 266,800, which, if the present rate of increase was maintained, would take twenty-six years before all vacant land within the four-mile limit was developed, forty-nine years for the five-mile limit, and ninetyeight years for the six-mile limit. The was no need for a bridge to facilitate accommodation for city ratepayers, and if a bridge were built settlement on the south side of the harbour would be retarded. He was of opinion that the southern bridgehead should not be at Point Erin but at Fansliawe Street, which was a wide thoroughfare, and from which point there were several streets 90 ft. wide which were carrying little traffic. The traffic could be accommodated from that point without much expense. The road across Shoal Bay would be more expensive to construct than the waterfront road. Fifty feet would be ample for the width of the bridge, including two 8 ft. footpaths, but if trams were provided the bridge should be 60 ft. or 66 ft. wide. Mr. J. Hislop, member of the Devonport Borough Council, said that the residents of Devonport were opposed to paying a rate on their properties as security for the bridge. The bridge was not likely to be of service to the people of that borough. The bridge, if it took 50 per cent, of the ferry traffic, would so seriously affect the ferries that the residents would lose the present excellent service. The ferry service was adequate, the only necessary improvement being the provision of a continuous all-night service. The population of the northern boroughs was about 25,000, and the bridge was a matter for motor-owners' convenience. The witness did not think that the traffic was sufficient to pay interest, sinking fund, and expenses on a bridge at the present day. He suggested that the only satisfactory way of linking up the northern and southern shores of the harbour was by a tunnel between Mechanic's Bay and Devonport —similar to that between Alameda and Oakland. The Chairman of the Auckland Transport Board said that if a bridge across the harbour were built the Transport Board would run a transport service over it, but the Board would not be prepared to pay for the right to run over the bridge, and any charge would have to be included in the fares. Fanshawe Street seemed a reasonable site for the bridgehead on the city side. The General Manager ot the Auckland Transport Board said that a grade of 1 in 20 on the bridge would present difficulties. He would rely on buses across the bridge at present in preference to trams. If a bridge to Stokes Point were built he thought the ferry service would still carry a great many passengers and be more economical. The Chairman of the Waitemata Electric-power Board said that great inconvenience was caused through the inability of the Board's Engineer to obtain access to all parts of the Board's district during the hours when the ferry service was not running. The business of the Board necessitated the use of seventeen motorvehicles, some of which would not be required if a bridge were available. The provision of a bridge would increase the efficiency in the administration of the Board's affairs, and the mobility of transport would enable more work to be done by the existing staff. In spite of the present good service provided by the Ferry

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