The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1933. PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 38, 8 November 1933, Page 8

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1933. PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

There are still people who think tliat scientific town and country planning is a faddist idea. As long as that impression persists it will be difficult to develop a public opinion strong enough to insist that the provisions of tlie Town Planning Act should be put to practical use. The Act at present is more or less in a moribund condition. The president of the New Zealand Town Planning Institute did timely service in drawing attention to the fact in his address at the annual meeting of that body yesterday. “We all know,” said Mr. Blackley, “that .the Town Planning Act is not perfect, but it should be possible for our legislators to amend it where necessary.” It might be argued that fof financial and other reasons the times are not propitious for a forward movement. At the same time it ought'to be possible to study the groundwork and assemble the data in preparation for steady and consistent progress later on. A policy of inaction cannot be justified by contending, as some do, that the Act is ahead of its time. Regional planning is closely linked up with local body, reform and merger schemes of the kind discussed recently in the Wairoa district. It has also an’important bearing on immigration. The inflow of new population from overseas has practically ceased, but the present policy of marking time cannot be carried on indefinitely. In anticipation of the resumption of immigration there should be systematic research work in order that the distribution of the population may be effected on an ordered plan. Mr. Blackley anticipates that we may be asked to take a definite and substantial quota of Britain’s surplus population. He may prove to be right, and in that case we ought to be prepared for the event, and have areas mapped out so that the lands when settled can be used to the greatest advantage. The Town Planning Amendment Act of 1929, he points out, provides for “the classification of the lands for the purposes for which they are best suited by nature, or for which they can best be adapted, and the co-ordination of public improvements, utilities and services.” But this valuable machinery is being neglected, and is in danger of becoming rusted. On this point Mr. Blackley makes a suggestion which the Government and local authorities might usefully consider. For the collection of the information required, he says, no better or more fruitful work could be given to the 500 surveyors, engineers, and architects, at present unable to follow their professions, now doing pick-and-shovel work in the ranks of the unemployed.