TOWN PLANNING

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3109, 13 June 1917, Page 7

TOWN PLANNING

BISCTJSSBD BY BLECTOUS' ASSOCIATION. : The vory interesting subjoct of townplanning vas discussed at a meeting of the Greater Wellington Town-Planning find Municipal Electors' Association last night. The matter was introduced by a paper read by Mr. C. E. Wheeler. Opening his address, Mr. Wheelor dispensed with, the usual explanatory introduction, taking it for granted that his audience had some idea of what the terms meant. Hβ said that Noiv Zealand was a country in tho early 6tagea of its development, with, a population of not more than one-tenth of tho sia.e of the country would eventually accommodate, and that, therefore, the country was in a position to profit by the mistakes o£ tho past made'by other countries, and already by the mistakes it had mado itself. In. Auckland large sums of money had been spent on street widening. In Christchnrch, where there was no lack of room, and where the streets wore laid out after a'rectangular plan, it had been, found that the traffic was blocked seriously by an obstacle caused by a. grave errol . [ n t^ e laying out of the city. In Dunedin the main street followed a tortuous course. Iα Wellington the City Council hajUsnenfc huge sums of money in widening too narrow streets. Tho total paid by tho council in tho acquisition of land, was ■£237,250, but the properties bought had increased in value, and the net cost to the city was only .£58,801. Mr. Wheeler was strong in his advocacy of a scheme of Betterment in conjunction -with townplanning expenditure, and he expressed the opinion that without some provision for the taking by tho community of some part'of the value added by public enterprise to the valuo of property the scheme would be sure to end in failure, and would, not bo fair to the general body of ratepayers.

After reviewing the attempts made in Now Zealand to introduce town-planning legislation, Mr. "Wheeler produced as one of the most recent and ono of tho best examples of legislation the bill introduced into tho South Australian House. This Bill provided for a reasonable arrangement of a central board on which, was to be at leii6t ono expert, co-operating with Iho local authorities in devising town-planning schemes, to meet tho special needs of cvory community individually. He considered that tnia organisation would bo a practicable one for New Zealand. ■

.The paper and. the subject wore discussed at eomo length with roferenco very often to questions of local concern. There was sharp division of opinion on some of the nointe raised, notably oil the question of betterment. Tho result of tho discussion was- that iho following motion proposed by Sir. Leigh Hunt, was carried:— "That this association convone-.i, townplanning conference of dologaten from town-planning asaociations a.nd leading enthusiasts to meet in. Wellington curly in August, for the purpose of urging tho Minislor to introdnoo a. Bill into ihn House, which Bjll f.ould bo circulated throughout the country during the rocriss, and passed tho following yew ns an urgency measure to secure economy and efficiency."

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