Commissioner Praises Council Leadership

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31190, 14 October 1966, Page 20

Commissioner Praises Council Leadership

The leadership and drive displayed by the Timaru City Council had been outstanding, the district commissioner of the Ministry of Works (Mr D. B. Dallas) said yesterday when commenting on the city’s transportation study. The whole arrangement of city and county, technical steering committee and consultants had been an ideal i consortium for handling a master transportation plan in a centre such as Timaru. Before the National Roads Board was likely to approve of the plan it would want a firm indication from the city council that it wanted the work to proceed, and a supporting recommendation from the No. 15 District Roads Council. After the board’s approval, detailed surveys and designs could be started as soon as financial provision could be made in the No. 15 district estimates. In due course this would lead to an accurate definition of the effect on properties. Meanwhile the council was keeping ratepayers fully informed on stage development of the plan, and as soon as effect on properties was clear the council would no doubt publicly notify proposed alterations to its district planning scheme. The consultants had quite rightly pointed out that it was not practicable to accurately specify land requirements until detailed engineering designs had been prepared. The timing and final costs of property acquisition were somewhat intangible at present. The consultants advised the maintenance of a high level

of service by public, transport, and say that the objective of efficient, economical and attractive bus services must be pursued vigorously. “The key word here is probably ‘attractive,’ and I would heartily endorse the advice as right in line with most advanced thinking,” Mr Dallas said. The study had proceeded as smoothly as a textbook exercise. If it passed through the remaining administrative stages with anything like similar despatch, it could be regarded as a copy-book model that many other metropolitan areas could follow to advantage.