'Get out of rut'

Press, 10 January 1981, Page 1

'Get out of rut'

PA Wellington County councils s were urged last evening to put more time and effort into planning for people who want to leave the city and live and work in the country. ’

The plea came from the Under Secretary for Agriculture (Mr Talbot) above, who said in Ashburton that the glamour of city life was growing thin for more and more New Zealanders. • •

However, counties had tended to become bogged down on matters which gave no thought to balanced population growth, he said, in an address at the opening of the Hinds School’ centennial celebrations. • t < • - Mr Talbot said it was well past the time when about half the county councils in New Zealand should get out of their “hidebound rut” of thinking no further than roads, bridges, and potholes. He called on councils to put ‘‘a lot more time, effort, and enthusiasm into planning for the growing number of New Zealanders who want to get out of our cities and live, work, and produce in a rural environment "Local authorities must wake up and accept greater responsibility for providing the right climate for better balanced development in rural districts,” Mr Talbot said.