LEGISLATION WANTED

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 219, 10 June 1920, Page 6

LEGISLATION WANTED

' — —4 {i BON. C. J. PARR ON TOWN-PLANNING Z.j [ "' NEW ZEALAND LAGGING | f BEHIND j ■)', The fact that tho town-planning move- [ Kent has passed the educative stago was : one of thto points -made by the Minister [;..of Education (the Hon. C. J. Parr), pre- !; sident of tho Federated Town-Planning i ..'Associations of New Zealand, in addressI ' ingthb annual conference of these bod- ;■ ies- yesterday morning. [■ ■■~' A great deal had been accomplished ! for the cause during the last two years, !■■... said "the Minister. Two years ago it was • felt that a largo amount of educative ,- work would be necessary cs a prelude io '; .'any legislation on tlie subject. This, • however, -had now largely boen nccomI'plished. He believed that tho Minister !.. of Internal Affairs (the Hon. G. J. An- .- derson) was a man of "liberal mind and K'.;! outlook, and that tho movement would ! , appeal to him a's a step entirely in the ! ' right direction. The Minister of Internal [■'•.■■ Affairs would bo back on Friday, and il ;:■ would be as well for the association tc f meet bim as 6oon as possible, and laj ;,' before him their request for early legis- !• -lation upon this all-important question. |:'■'■*! ; .• A Practical Proposition. '*'~ Mr. Parr said that to-day there was in [■■'■:■ Parliament a majority of members pled* !'!■ ed to give tho association reasonablt t' legislation. That factor should not h I' lost sight of. Tho Town-Planning Bil. : 'had been fully and critically discussed r by.the late conference, and eventually il I -'Vas put into such a shape as would give i: : it a' reasonablo chance of being piii | through' Parliament. There were five i important features in tho Bill. The frrsl ;'■ was the creation of a Town-Planning De- ■ , partmeht, and tho employment of a town, i ' planning expert, of eminence and expert- '■' ence, for the wliole Dominion. The sec '■: ond foature was the resolution of tbf ■'. conference that no measure should at , tempt to force action upon the local au ':; thorite. Bather, the movement shoulr '■■■■ co-operate with local-administration, nn< i not override it in any way. In a word '.' the proposed measure should be of per ! iriissive rather than compulsory charac i ! ter. Where action was imperativeb : ' : needed, through neglect, some form ol i compulsory treatment should be provia ■'; ed. i; '■■.■'; No Large Expenditure Necessary, ' Vr We want," added the Minister, "thi •' local bodies to 'bo town-planners. Wi :'. feel;'therefore, that if wo could croati ! the necessary department the local bodies ! will not be behind in endeavouring- t< '■• look after- their cities i«d towns.. A; ': present we lag behind other countries. : ; The Minister declared it did not spel 1 large exjenditure. For JE2ooo.or £1000 i ■"- 'year for tho first few years a Town '■'" Plannin" Department could be maintain ; ed and he did'not think the countr; would begrudge that sum. He hoped tha '■'■ he had said something to indicate to tin '■'■ public-he would not say tUu Govern ment-that the town-planning moyemen : ' was not only an economical one, but ai ■ influential one-one that ihould not b ; disregarded. It behoved tho associatioi i ' to keep pegging away until it obtain* i the legislation necessary to put the mat !•■ ter on a proper footing. Let thus be tnei ■ 'gospel, and it was his hope that some : thing would be done this year. I On the motion of Mr Q.. Cnrwe Cooke, seconded by Mr A Leigh Hunf i tha conference congratulated Mr. Parr oi i' his elevation to the Ministry-