TOWN-PLANNING.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 192, 14 August 1911, Page 6

TOWN-PLANNING.

BILL TO BE DROPPED. SIGNIFICANCE OF FRIDAY'S VOTE. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Beporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Hon. Geo. Fowlds, interviewed this morning on the Town-planning Bill, ! said, "In view of the vote in the House on h'riday night I am of opinion that it would be unwise to proceed further w'th the Town-planning Bill in the ab sence of the Prime Minister. I do not think menißers generally understand the significance of the vote they cast on that occasion, although I did my best to point out that it amounted to a revolution in constitutional Government. If given effect to it means the establishment of bureaucratic (.overnment in this country, which 1 do not think was what they intended. Unless we propose an entire change in our system of Government the (Jovernor-in-Oouncil must remain 'the supreme and final authority in all national administrative Acts. Under the circumstances I am not prepared to assume the responsibility for such a revolutionary change during the temporary absence of the Prime .\fini«tor, important as r consider the question of passing the bill this session. "The delay of a year, is in my opinion, "The delay of the year is of much less moment than would lie the acceptance, without fuller consideration of the radical alteration, of our constitutional methods involved by the vote of Friday night.The main point objected to in the bill, apart from the Governor-m-Council, was tiie power conferred on councils to raise money without a poll of the ratepayers after the scheme of town-planning had receivedl full consideration and been finally approved. Even in Conservative England that is law, and with provisions for safeguarding all the interests concerned, which my bill provides, no possible harm could come from that provision. Without it I believe that town-planning in New Zealand will continue to be only a name or a benevolent plank in party programmes for many years to come, and the real ratepayers, i.e,j the rentpayera, will have to continue to live in miserable hovels and over-crowded slums. The country will now have further timo to consider the whole question.