TOWN-PLANNING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1201, 9 August 1911, Page 7

TOWN-PLANNING.

THE GOVERNMENT BILL. SECOND READING DEBATE. The Hon. G. I'OWIiOS niovrd tho second reading of the, Town Planning Bill. Many (.own blocks in this country, lie said, worn cut up by Hip owners in (he most "higgeldy-piggeldy" fashion, without any consideration for tlio future. Tin* need for this measure iva< more apparent in Auckland than in any other New Zealand city. The time had undoubtedly como when some organised control of town'-planniug should bo introduced. Already some rather serious slum conditions existed in the larger cities. The first, thing ho wished to prrtvide for was a proper control of the cities that wero to be, of areas not yet built upon, 'l'ha municipalities already possessed powers which few of them had used to flic extent which they were entitled to do. Had they done so very few of the present slums would lirivo como into existence. It might bo a subject of criticism that the Bill left a good deal to be provided for by regulation. In this respect also it followed the English Act. Tho Minister characterised as stupid tlio attempt to provide tlio whole machinery of administration by Act. of Parliament. Something must lie done by regulations. Mr. 0. Russell: "Too much centralisation about that." Mr. Fnwlds said that possibljr tho business of framing regulations might be entrusted to a body representative of the whole country. Mr. Russell: Do you seriously expect to carry Clause S? Mr. Fowlds: I seriously expect to carry every part. Mr. Russell: Well, look at Clause o. Mr. l-'owlds: I don't see anything tho matter with Clause 5. . (Clause a gives; the Governor-m-Council power to vary or revoke a town-planning SC Mr! l( Davy: How do you propose to get the money? Tho Minister: The nioney_ for carrying out any scheme would be found by the local bodies interested. An Undemocratic Bill. Mr. F. M. B. FISHER (Wellington Central) submitted that the correct course for the Government to follow would be to submit t'he Bill to the various local authorities throughout the country. Moantime it might be submitted to a committee of the House. The city of Wellington in 1877 made a colossal error in municipal management: in selling ,30 acres of land to the State for 4:100,000. The State witliiri one year was able to sell one acre for the price which it had paid for the whole! area. While he believed that a Town-planning Bill of some kind was necessary, he was by no means sure that the undemocratic Bill introduced by tho Minister would serve. Under this measure a costly scheme might bo prepared by the people of a local district, and vetoed by one man—the Minister. A comparatively small body of men would be empowered to force a sclieme upon a body of ratepayers without asking for their authority to expend the sum required. He did not think that any community would turn down an intelligent town-planning scheme. Why could not tho Government trust the people who wero mainlv concerned? Mr. A. M. MYERS (Auckland East) opposed Mr. Fisher's- suggestion that the Bill should lie referred to a committee on the ground that delay was undesirable. The Bill was not perfect, but it was a start and represented au earnest attempt to grapple with real evils. Mr. I'oole: It will be easy to amend it. Objectionable Clauses.

Hγ, J. P. LUKE (Wellington Suburb*) approved Hie general object of (lie Bill, bnl stated that it was the bounden duty of the Iloubp to fond it in tho first iiistnrco lo a committee. For preference, it'should Iμ? sent to thn Local Bills Committee. Probably what was- wanted in a number of instance?, as n preliminary lo town planning, was a grouping of sinaM surrounding areas in one large city area. This was particularly necessary in. the case of Wellington. The people of this country would not tolerate the Govorndr-in-Council dominating spheres of local influence. He hoped that, this very objeetibnaWo'pa'rt'.'pf- the Bill would' be cut out. Neither would he support the proposal to set up a board composed of Civil Servants. He acquitted tho present Executive of any desire fo harass local bodies, but there was creeping in an intense desire to exercise power without paying due regard to the interests of tho people ohieflv concerned. Jlr. D. M'LABEN (Wellington East) said he had been associated for a number of years with tho people who suffered most from bad housing conditions—waterside workers. There was need not only for town-planning, but very urgent ncd for town-cleansing and renovation. In the "rookeries" of some of the large centres of population the rents were out of all proportion high. The. effort, of the Government should be to assist tho local authorities, and not to exercise power over their heads. The power conferred by the Bill upon the Governor-in-Council of revoking a scheme was an unnecessary interference vrith local government. On the motion of Jlr. C. H. POOLE (Auckland West) the debate was adjourned and the House rose at 10.50 p.m.