CITY LOAN PROPOSALS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 273, 12 August 1920, Page 5

CITY LOAN PROPOSALS

NEED OP COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF CITY DEVELOPMENT. (Contributed by the. Town Planning Association.) This evening- His Worship the Mayor will explain in more or detail just what the City Council proposes to do with ths .£1,708,916 that is the estimated cost of the various schemes included in the loan schedule. It would be helpful if Mr. Luke could illustrate his remarks by the aid of a plan of the proposed works; better still, if the ratepavevs were shown a well-considered plan of' Wellington's anticipated development to cover the next fifty years. Haphazard city building without a comprehensive plan is ruinous, and we have no indication that the proposed schemes are parts of such a plan. Some of the works in question are urgent, but what students of town planning want to know is whether or not eac'h separate work lias been considered an its relation to the general scheme.. <?ity planning is a prime need in Wellington. II; is plain common senso to have a plan before building a house or factory, and in the latter case farseeing business men make provision for extensions. City building is surely ns important as factory building, and the need of a plan of development is just as important. The bigger a city grows tlio more essential a plan becomes. Traffic problems, the congestion of population, the intensive use of land, the masnitudo of tho property values involved, mako the control of the city's growth more and more essential to tho general welfare of the community. Wellington has reached a point beyond which 1 continued unplanned growth must spell economic loss. With or without a development plan, tho city will spend millions of pounds on public improvements during the next twenty years, and during the 6ame period property owners will spend as much, if not more. It is 6urely reasonable to lay down now the general lines of city development so that these huge* expenditures. when made, will in tho greatest possible measure contribute to the solid and permanent upbuilding of a great city commercially, industrially, and in the comfort and health of its citizens, this is town planning'. , So far as the present schedule of works is concerned, the Town Planning Association can offer no criticism until tho Mayor throws moro light on each item. For instance, jt will lie interesting to learn why it is proposed to run a' new teamhno along Hunter Street, Victoria Street, and Wakefield S'-reet to Clydo Quay instead of utilising the Jeivois Quay line as far as the fire brigade station. and running a. ;iew lino from thero along Wakefield Street to Clydo Quay.

Another tramway matter that will bo watched with interest is the new lino to Kelburn via Aro Street. The new Hataitai tunnel proposal is likely to draw a good many eastern suburbs people to the meeting at the Town Hall, especially as Mr, Luke, who was opposed to the scheme being placed on the present schedule of undertakings, will naturally fall in with the wish Of tho council, and advocate the scheme. -

Kliaudnllah and Roseneath ratepayers should feel gratified with tho proposal to provide'better access, though it yet remains to bo seen whether or not the fcouncil's ideas regarding Toutes will provo acceptable to those concerned. Oil the face of it, tho extension of tho Oriental Bay sea-wall to Balena Bay seems unnecessary at present, especially in view of tho shortage of concrete for housing! and tho widoning of the Evans Bav Road might bo left over in the tneautimo. as the new tunnel through Mount Victoria will carry the traffic to tho suburbs oil tho eastern side of the citr

Tho erection of the new power station at Evans Bay opens up the question of zoning, and town-planners will want to fcnoiv .if this matter has been seriously considered by the council. The need for a districting plan is only too apparent when wo find iieop'.e being turned out of a house close to the Governor's residence because a factory is to be erected on tho site. HouSes and factories havo no right to be mixed, and it is certainly verv bad business to knock down a cottage in what should, in all reason, bo a go.'d class residential district to make way for a factory. Nothing is mentioned about tho Mayor's promises of improvement to the Clyde Quay approach to Oriental Bay, but possibly. this .very necessary work is included under some other head.

Tho schemes, generally speaking, are quite sound in themselves, but they make tho necessity for a far-sighted development plan all the more urgent. We want to look beyond next year, or the next five years, to tho Empire City of twonty or fifty years' hence. The Wellington of the future is in the making, anl it is for us to decide now whether coming generations will blame or praise tho citizens of to-day.

EASTERN SUBURBS LEAGUE.

At a meoting of the Eastern Suburbs League last evening, it was agreed that the ratepayers of the Eastern Suburbs District express gratitude that the City Council has placed in the loan proposals tho items of the tunnel and trams for Melrose. It was resolved that the league, while entirely in sympathy with the major portion of tho loan proposals, considers success would be assured if tho council would postpone the poll for a month with the object of reconsidering some of tho proposals, and the regrouping of same. Three speaker's were selected to speak on tho loan proposals at. to-night's meeting.