HAPHAZARD DRIFT

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 128, 31 May 1921, Page 4

HAPHAZARD DRIFT

WHAT TOWN-PLANNERS WOULD PREVENT

PREPARE FOR THE "SWITCH-

OVER"

PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION

1 MAKES AN APPEAL.

Because times are bad and the 'finances of the country strained, these are not reasons why the aims and objects of the town-planner should be ignored. That was the burden of remarks made last night by "Mr. A. Leigh Hunt, President of the Greater Wellisigton Municipal ' Electors' Association, in his annual address delivered to a representative meeting. After thanking the members and the, executive for their loyal 'co-operation timing,the year, Mr. Hunt stated that ' the financial stringency, together with failing markets, had overshadowed many matters of great importance to the country, including town-planning "We fully believed," he said, "that Parliament would pass a Town-planning Act and appoint an expert town-planner during the session of 1920, but we have been disappointed. What^ is the real cause of this failure? It is not the shortage of funds, for a Town-planning Department would save thousands of pounds of public, moneys each year by giving a proper direction as to the necessary provision [or the future, The real cause-is the lack of a,strong public opinion in favour nf town-planning such as obtained in most mp-to'-date countries. The remedy is an educative propaganda throughout the country. Town-plnnriing, when" properly understood, is enthusiastically supported by every man and woman in their sane senses. Nor is it academic ,or narrow as the ignorant often surmise. Town-planning covers the whole scope of our welfare, health, comfort, and happiness. Unfortunately ours is the only active association in New Zealand nothwithstanding the efforts of this itssociation to stimulate similar organisations in other parts. The--chief difficulty has been the shortage of funds.

"THINK OUT AND PLAN.' S

"Educational work should be pushed on with every vigour, but apart from that there is ample and suitable scope for our activities. 'Tis true that the shortage of money will stay the prosecution of many pressing and desirable works such as housing, acquiring open spaces, shim abolition, cheap hydroelectric power, tramway extension, etc. It is equally trie that he lull before the period of actual commencement of these works affords a very appropriate opportunity to think out and plan. Think them out —the various schemes in their entirety—their relations to one another —their ultimate size and objective. Think them out not only in the light of to-day but ovsr a period covering the next generation. If we do this we shall have a busy year ahead, and one. fraught with the greatest possibilities for tho ftttuie welfare of our .beloved country The coming of cheap hydro-electricity alone directs our earnest attention to the new era it will establish, and careful thought and planning will , alone avert confusion, mis-span* wealth and inconvenience when the times comes to "switch over."

POSSIBLE BURDEN ON POSTERITY".

"One ' other question we must ask ourselves: Are we content to allow our lov.'iis to continue to grow in their present haphazard way? This question does not bear merely upon the aesthetic aspect, but directly on the financial burdens of the future. Plan and you save hundreds of thousands of public money—drift on >in an haphazard way as at present and you place a burden on posterity which will make it ris" up and curse the heritage of a city built by careless and selfish amateurs —wretched to live in, unhealthful. costly to administer raid 'even to traverse. Let vs at once- demarcate our cities— sort out the present jumbled heap and nlloeate each section of our urban activities to its proper sphere when it ran thrive unhampered as at present in our mixed towns. Our plan conic* be completed in a year, hut it will take nearly a generation trf fully correct the errors of the past. We cannot start earlier, theretoe, let us starts vitrlit away. Yoar executive ha,ve urged upon the City Council the desirability of setting up a commission' to study the position and fji-epare a development plan for the future. Patriotic service will, I feel sure, be readily forthcoming" n'om our engineers, architects, surveyors, and others to assist in this pressing work; I earnestly urge that, this be placed in the forefront of the association work for the coming year."