SPRING-CLEANING OF CITIES

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 40, 16 August 1916, Page 10

SPRING-CLEANING OF CITIES

THE KROOM NEEDED IN WEL-

LINGTON.

Referring to a paragraph which appeared in The Post last week advocating a spring cleaning for cities, especially Sydney, Ml J Wilson writes agreeing that Wellington is quite as much in need of improvement' municipally a,s Sydney. " Coming back here after a, few years* absence," he says,

" I notice the same old . eyesores in ramshackle buildings in the main thoroughfares Even the old clock on the Exchange Building remains unaltered, misleading many of oar visitors, who naturally think it must be going, or the dial would be at once covered But what strikes me more is the. great development of the picture-show business, and the- apparently unrestricted poster advertising in the main thoroughfares. The other day I was disgusted to see a display of posters bordering on the indecent, or at least pandering to sensuous tastes, depicting certain films." After remarking that in Australia the supervision of street advertising is being considered by the municipal authorities, he states 'that as far as the care of streets in Wellington is concerned, they will compare favourably with any in Australia. He complains, however, that there seems to be more "go as you pleai-.e" allowed to builders here than in most places, with the result that many of the houses are mere boxes, placed at any angle and in such close proximity to one another that there is little or no privacy and a great risk from fire. " The- exploitation for money-making purposes of a great deal of the limited amount of available land," concludes the writer, " lias led to hundreds of jerry buildings being erected without due regard to health, comfort, or convenience. Why, should the building of a city be left to individuals who hfl.ve capital, and \yho are, as regards private residences, given practically a" free hand to put up almost any struoture that will return the most for the money invested? I think we need in addition to a Fair Rent Act a Building Approval Board."