TOWN-PLANNING.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16528, 21 May 1919, Page 7

TOWN-PLANNING.

CONFERENCE OPENED AT

WELLINGTON

(PRESS ASSOCIATION" TELEGRAM.} V,"ELLINGTON; May 20. The Town Planning Conference was opened this morning by the Governor-. General. The Hon. G. W. Russell, Minister of Internal Affairs, presided. The Acting-Primo Minister welcomed the delegates. Mr J. P. Luke, M.P., Mayor of 'Wellington, also extended a welcome to the delegates.

The Hon. G. W. Russell, in his presidential address, emphasised tho practical nature of the conference and the importance of its aims. Figures showed the great growth of borough population in New Zealand as compared with county population. The problems of town planning were accentuated by the growth of cities. Land speculators had no regard for the future, and it was time that legislation was passed making it impossiblo for any person to sell residential areas, unless provision was made for properties fitting in to a clearly defined scheme of loading, drainage,

and water supply. He was satisfied 'that this country must embark upon a gr6at scheme for housing people, and must talk in millions if wo were to have happy and contented people. Tho transit problem was also ve;y important in preventing overcrowding, and ho suggested that tlio zonal system must be applied to encourage people to live at a distance from their employment. Tho financial aspect was the crux of the whole question. It resolved itself into these two questions: (1) Should the entire responsibility of town planning be laid upon the people of the localities affocted, or (2) should the Stato in the

national interests acccpt at loast a share of the financial responsibilities? His considered view was that while the diroct responsibility of improvements in cities in tho way of abolishing slum areas and creating parks and open spaces was a responsibility that must l ast upon the people of tho town or district, the State should be prepared to assist minor boroughs, town districts, .and growing localities by expert advico and financial assistance, in order that

those places might bo advised and assisted by the trained swiff at the disposal of the" Government or the Local Government Board, and tho ncccssary finances provided for them. There were two methods by which this could bo done: (1) By a process of graduated subsidy, such as was proposed in the Local Government Bill of 1912, by which, according to the richness or poverty of the area affected, the Stato_ subsidy should increase to poor and gradually taper off to a diminishing point for rich cities and towns; (2) that through the State Advances Offico_ a sclicme should bo established by which special assistance should be given to local authorities for town-planning purposes at tho lowest possible rate of interest, and on even longer terms as regards sinking funds than obtained under the present system. In the course of the discussion Mr C. J. Parr, M.P., stressed tho neoessity for action. Landowners and speculators were being allowed to cut |up residential land in a haphazard I fashion, regardless of tho future of tho

city and the comfort of the people. More powers were nepded bv local bodies. Mr Parr condemned the castiron rule that streets should be 66 feet wide; 66 feet was not wide enough for a main thoroughfare, and was too wide for a residential street. Curved streets adapting themselves to the contour of tli© land were an enormous improvement or streets laid out in cness-board fashion.

The evening programme included cinematograph pictures and lantern slides illustrating city and town improvements in older lands.

The Hon. G. W. Russell, in welcoming the visitors to the exhibition, said the desire of the Government was to create a sound public opinion. Ho need scarcely tell tho audience that there would be a general election this year. The Government wanted the electors to impres upon candidates the importance of town-planning, and tho housing problem, in order that the next Government might have public opinion behind it when reform on town-plannins lines was proposed. New Zealand had made a mistake in > the laying out and developing of its cities, and those mislakes must be corrected where possible, and avoided in future.