PROJECTS IN AUCKLAND

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28766, 11 December 1958, Page 7

PROJECTS IN AUCKLAND

“Direction Lack Causes Delays” (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, December 10. Nearly every project in Auckland was delayed by lack of positive direction and planning hold-ups, said Mr W. E. Wagener, the president of the Auckland Master Builders’ Association, at the annual dinner tonight. “It seems,” he said, “that no matter what project is mooted we start a sort of ‘Paddy’s market’ with all the conflicting interests and pressure groups shouting to be heard, often drowning the quiet voice of reason and common sense. “Very often the people concerned seem to have the purest motives and are very worthy persons. But, be that as it may, almost any project ever proposed in this city has had effective action frustrated for years,” he said. Auckland needed a permanent overriding authority in the metropolitan area with power to hear evidence from all parties, make a decison and have it implemented, said Mr Wagener. This authority could be a committee of works of very limited membership or a commission of works appointed solely by merit and not by allegiance to any political machine. The need for such an authority was indisputable and urgent. “It appears to me that if half the energy and thought were put into the progress of various projects that is spent in opposing them and arguing we would really get somewhere,” said Mr Wagener. “Fear of making mistakes appears to be stopping us from 1 making any move.” he said. “I am aware that mistakes can be costly but so can opportunities missed. “Let us be constructive in our • outlook and evolve some type of administrative machinery through which we can work for our mutual benefit. There is a terrific . creative potential in this city—let us leash it with constructive ! thinking and we shall progress as never before,” he said.