PLANNING OF CITIES

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 219, 12 June 1930, Page 18

PLANNING OF CITIES

; ' ~ , 4..— / ■ Business Before Board PROBLEMS FOR SOLUTION ' “Regional planning is undoubtedly one of the biggest and most far-reach-ing questions which the Dominion has ever tackled, but I am satisfied that it is well within the collective ability of the local bodies and Government departments and their technical officers and advisers to find a satisfactory and permanent solution of the problems involved,’’ said- the Minister of Internal Affairs and chairman of the Town Planning Board (Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle), in a letter apologising to the board for his absence from its meeting yesterday. The Minister said he had an opportunity of perusing the report of the Regional Boundaries Committee, or which Mr. S. Blackley was the chairman. and of following the very full Press reports of the inquiries held throughout the Dominion. He congratulated Mr. Blackley and the other members of the committee on a very excellent and valuable piece of work. “Whatever may have been the state of public knowledge in regard to regional planning before these inquiries were commenced,” proceeded Mr. de ia Perrelle. “there can be very few amongst the newspaper-reading public to-day who have not by now had an opportunity of learning something about it. The result of the inquiries appears to have been almost uniformly satisfactory, particularly in view of the serious misconceptions which the committee was culled upon in many cases to remove. With one exception, the Press reports and editorial comments on the subject have also been favourable. New Conception of Local Government. “We are entering upon a new era and a new conception of local government, the key-words of which are co-pperatiou and co-ordination. The application of • scientific inventions to our transportation system and essential public services, in which New Zealand stands second to none in the world, has brought, m its train problems which are tending to render our present system of local governmeat (more adapted to conditions which obtained 40 to 50 years ago) uneconomi “There are very few local body activities to-dav which can be efficiently and economically designed or administered within the‘present arbitrary boundaries Ot a single district, and common sense alone demands that a solution be found for these problems, which will enable 6ich local authority to work to some preconceived and comprehensive plan, without sacrificing in any way its statutory powers and privileges. I believe that regional planning will provide that solution. At the least, if the regional surveys contemplated by the Act are carried out, we shall have for the first time in this country.,a (thorough survey of our natural resources which will enable us to evolve plans for the economic development of those resources.” Light and Air Space. In connection with the definition of standards of light and. air space surrounding habitable holdings, a matter to which the board has already devoted a considerable amount of time, the director reported that a valuable suggestion had been put forward by Dr. Barnett, of the Scientific and Industrial Research Department. It was resolved that the director of town planning and Mr. J. T. Mair, the Government Architect, should be appointed a sub-commit-tee to consider Dr. Barnett’s recommendations, and to bring down a report at the next meeting of the board. The members present at the meeting were Mr. G. P. Newton (Under-Secre-tary of Internal Affairs), who presided, Messrs. T. Jordan. W. M- Page. J. G. Alexander. A. 11. Bogle. J. T. Mair. J. W. Mawson (Director of Town Planning), and Dr. C. E. Hercus.