Greymouth Evening Star., AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3rd., 1929. TOWN-PLANNING

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 April 1929, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star., AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3rd., 1929. TOWN-PLANNING

residents are invited to attend at the Town Hall, on Friday evening, when Mr. Mawson, Director of Town-Plan-ning, will give an address on the subject of which he is an authority, and in which all good citizens should be interested. The attendance may not be large, but it should be representative. Presumably, only general principles of town-betterment will be outlined, but the address should be helpful to those eager to see Greymbuth a model area. . • , •

Town-planning is a topic about which there has been, so far, more talk than action, but progress is being made in various directions. Experience is being acquired, and efforts made to reconcile the ideal with the practicable. Enthusiastic theorists are learning that reform is partly dependent on finances, and old-fashioned “diehards“ are less suspicious of the proposed changes.' T,he chief opposition to

town-planning now comes from vested interests, but many property owners are awakening to the fact that betterment and design are more profitable than the former go-as-you-please system. So far as Greymouth is concerned, there is ample room for town-planning activities. Nature has given of her best, but man has not hitherto displayed wholehearted determination to co-operate, so as to make Greymouth worthy of her natural setting. Great improvements have been made of late years in . Greymouth, and these are signs of the growth of that public spirit and pride in local surroundings that is essential if much is to be accomplished. It is questionable whether any big scheme of betterment will be possible in the borough, owing to the reluctance to add to the town’s already heavy financial burden, but in little things, and at small cost, improvements are easily obtainable. Better-kept frontages, cleaner streets, and a more vigorous campaign against weeds are some of the avenues for betterment, and in the last named, the Borough Council should show more enterprise. Resolutions against noxious 1 weeds make no property-owner nervous, if nothing mb re follows. When the townsmen, realised that the Council was in earnest over stich matters, neglect of by-laws would soon be at a minimum, greatly to the advantage of the whole community. Greymouth ratepayers will soon have to give a decision regarding loan-proposals that if put into effect, would add greatly to civic amenities. These advantages offered cannot be obtained without considerable cost, but Greymouth can never be what.it should, until it possesses modern equipment. Mr. Mawson’s visit, of course, has nothing to do with the forthcoming borough loan proposals, but his address on town-betterment must cause thinking citizens .to meditate on the present lackings of this prosperous borough, and whether it would be worth while to supply what is wanting.