Resignation Of Miss Northcroft

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29783, 28 March 1962, Page 12

Resignation Of Miss Northcroft

The resignation of Miss Nancy Northcroft from her position as regional planning officer is an unhappy event for metropolitan Christchurch. It is true, as she said in her letter to the Regional Planning Authority, that the organisation has passed through its formative stages (in which, it should be remembered, she exercised a tactful but vital influence). This still leaves much of the authority’s work to be done; and Miss Northcroft will be missed in the doing. Though the master traffic plan, for instance, may be almost comoleted the hardest part will be putting it into effect.' With her imaginative grasp of problems not yet readily apparent to most people, she would have been most helpful in explaining to citizens why they must put up with ths expense and temporary disruption that are inevitable if Christchurch is to remain a pleasant, comfortable, and convenient city The city is on the verge of great changes, in which, it migh* have been thought, Miss Northcroft would find an absorbing challenge. For what are no doubt good reasons of her cwn she has chosen instead to use her ability and enthusiasm in

“ a greater variety of “ fields ”. We can onlyhope that this is a decision that could not be avoided. Miss Northcroft is not, of course, indispensable. The authority should be able to engage someone well qualified for the exacting position of its chief executive officer. But whoever is appointed may lack the intimate know ledge of the intricacies of Christchurch politics and prejudices that Miss Northcroft must have acquired during her 13 years’ work in the city, first with the City Council and then with the Regional Planning Authority. The comment by the chairman of the authority (Mr E. J. Bradshaw) that she will be available as a consultant gives only limited satisfaction. since her successor will naturally and properly want to stand on his own feet. The real cause for satisfaction is that the new officer will come to a posi tion with an established prestige Miss Northcroft will, however, in private practice still be able to pro mote good planning in detail in Christchurch and in other New Zealand centres, in this way carry ing on the good work that has been so handsomely acknowledged by Mr Bradshaw.