CITY AND VALLEY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 92, 20 April 1939, Page 15

CITY AND VALLEY

REGIONAL PLANNING

MUTUAL INTERESTS

COUNCIL DECISION

The City Council last night decided to approach the Government with a request that the interests of the city as well as of the Hutt Valley should be taken into account when the Government Town Planner, Mr. J. W. Mawson, is preparing the plan for the development scheme for the Valley as recently announced by the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry).

The Mayor, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, said that he had discussed the matter with the City Engineer, who felt that the council should communicate with the Government and ask that the Town Planner should consider Wellington as well as the Hutt Valley, as certain essential services were common to both, for instance, water supply, which ultimately must come from the big gravity scheme (Whakatikei and Akatarawa), through the Hutt Valley, Clearly it would be uneconomic to develop housing and industrial areas in the ,Hutt Valley and in the city without reference to each other, for people employed in the city and living in the Valley, and vice versa, would waste time and money in unnecessary travel daily. He suggested that a very useful purpose would be served were Mr. Mawson to discuss the whole position ■with the city officers instead of dealing with the development of the Hutt Valley alone. SYNCHRONISED DEVELOPMENT. Councillor P, M. Butler said that obviously it would be wiser to endeavour to synchronise the development of the Hutt Valley with that of Wellington City. Unless plans were drawn for Wellington the ultimate effects would be serious, for industries would be forced from the city to lower-rating areas. Th^ Hutt Valley was very fortunate in getting the services of a man like Mr. Mawson free: he did not see why Wellington should not do the same. Councillor R. McKeen, M.P., agreed that Wellington and the Hutt Valley must be considered together, for if Wellington City was not taken into account the effect of a limited plan would have an ultimate serious effect upon the development of the city. Councillor M. F. Luckie and Councillor W. Appleton protested against the taking over of highly-fertile market gardening land in the Hutt Valley for housing when other areas quite suitable for residential purposes were available nearer at hand. In the future Tawa Flat would be nearer the city, in travelling time, than the Hutt Valley, said Councillor Appleton. NOT THE COUNCIL'S BUSINESS. It was not the business of the City Council to interfere with the sale of land in the Hutt Valley, said Councillor T. Brindle. As a matter of fact, many of those engaged in market gardening in the Hutt Valley were only too pleased to sell. If vegetable prices were too dear something could be done by looking into the method of marketIng in Wellington. He agreed, howt ever, that it was sound to advocate that the development of the City and the Hutt Valley should be considered ■ together. Councillor M. Fraser expressed similar views.. The council was not con-t cerned with what land was bought or sold, but it was concerned in the most ' effective development of the city and the Hutt Valley together.