REGIONAL PLANNING

Grey River Argus, 21 February 1945, Page 6

REGIONAL PLANNING

PRINCIPLE APPROVED

West Coast Conference PROVISIONAL COMMITTEE SET . UP The principle of regional planning as the most practical means of promoting the economic development of the West Coast and the establishment of a regional planning organisation for the Coast were approved at a conference of delegates of local bodies and other organisations and Government Departments held at Greymouth on Monday. The conference also set up a provisional committee to report on the most appropriate type of planning organisation for the region. The conference was called by the Mayor of Greymouth (Mr. F. A. Kitchingham) at the request of the Government and was addressed by Mr. J. D. Mawson, representing the Organisation for National Development. Those present included the following: Messrs T. G. Jamieson (Grey County), F. W. Archer (Inangahua County), J. Robertson (Westport Borough), F. Lockington (Brunner Borough), W. H. G. Stewart (Kumara Borough), A. R. Elcock (Hokitika Borough and Harbour Board and Westland Hospital Board), K. O. May 'Tl’.fs Borough), E. W. Kennedy '■ Runanga Borough), F. WTiams (Grey Harbour Board), M. Wallace and E. Stoop (Westlapd County), J. E. Stokes (Grey Rehabilitation Committee), E. F. Evans (Main Highways Board and Works Department), C. Biggs (Forestry Department), J. W. Mclntyre (Lands and Survey Department), F. Clark and W. T. Langbeih (Railways Department), C. Strongman (Mines Department), W. H. Parfitt (Grev Electric Power Board), J. B. Kent (Grey Harbour Board), J. Barrow (Trades and Labour Council), W. D. Taylor (Westland District Progress League), W. J. Ellis (gold mining interests), and J. S. Robertson (timber interests). Apologies received included ones from the Minister of Rehabilitation (Hon. C. F. Skinner), the Minister of Mines (Hon. P. C. Webb), and the Minister of Transport and Marine and member for the district (Hon. J. O’Brien. Opening the conference Mr. Kitchingham said that it was one of considerable importance. Of the committees set up by an organisation established two years before to consider the development of industry on the Coast in relation to rehabilitation only one had achieved positive results; the others had been very largely starved for • information which'was either stored away or had never been put down in a convenient form. This organisation would deal with matters in a much more comprehensive way and an assurance had been given that Government Departments would supply whatever information was available. The organisation aimed at a survey of existing resources, a short range policy which could be put into effect to assist rehabilitation, and a long range policy which might take many years to develop. He considered that a survey was necessary. For 80 years we had lived on our capital assets, had extracted gold, timber and coal, and almost the only industrial development was farming. The construction of further dredges was very much in the air. The Minister had said that 20 years would see the end of bituminous coal deposits. The extension of the Dobson seam had been proved to some extent since then, but no comment had been made as to whether it was practicable to work it at 2000 to 3000 feet. For many years past 4000 to 5000 acres of timber had been cut each year. The remaining resources were very limited and the only planted areas were at Rimu and Slab Hut Creek. The public knew little of what facts had been definitely arived at regarding the perpetuation of indigneous forest. .The pastoral industry gave considerable ground for hope. Butter for export which-had 94 points in grading was deemed to be superfine, and for seven years in succession three of the factories in the district had attained these results—all had averaged 94 points or more. In the 1943 season 50 per cent, of West Coast factories had been able to maintain superfine grade on an average throughout the season. So there was no doubt as to the product that could be turned out. Long range planning was necessary in the tourist industry; the district should be the playground of New Zealand but. tourists were restricted to very few places. There had been practically no new industry in Greymouth or Hokitika for several years, and there were practically no light industries. This organisation aimed at the development or improvement of existing industries and if possible the development of lighter industries. It seemed proper and appropriate for the Coast to make .progress and fall in line with similar organisations which had been set up in other parts of New Zealand.

MR. MAWSON’S ADDRESS Mr. Mawson said that the conference was the eighth of a series of regional conferences held to set up regional planning organisations to work in co-operation with the Organisation for National Development. With one exception the results had been very good indeed. Different districts had had different ideas about the sort of organisation which would be suitable, but they were free to set up what ever type they preferred. The Organisation for National Development was an Organisation set up for a special purpose and when that was achieved it would go out of existence. It was really a fusion of the Treasury, and the Departments of Industries and Commerce, Agriculture, Works, and Rehabilitation, with the addition of the director of the organisation; and it had an administrative, technical, and research branches. It was the policy of the Government to regard regional planning as the prerogative of local bodies, though this should not be confused with works. The Organisation had been set up in pursuit of the Government’s policy of full employment —not just as an end in itself, but in the sense of full time permanent economic employment and all that it meant in terms of social security and social welfare. Full employment had to be thought of in terms of regions, Mr. Mawson said. We had to think in terms of human values, too, and must maintain the sanctity and unity of the family. There must be a sufficient diversity of industries in each region to employ all the members of a' family. Under the modern concept of decentralisation work had to be taken to the worker, and with the development of electrical power there were few industries not sufficiently mobile to be placed where they should be placed in the best interests of the country. Full employment depended on the economic development of our natural industry. There could only be an economic development of resources if there was research and planning and that described the purposes for- which the Organisation for National Development had been set up. Time was the essence of the contract, Mr. Mawson continued, and with the war drawing to a close we would be plunged back to where we were at the end of la'st war unless we got ahead with plans. He thought

it would be a much more difficult job to win the peace than the war and would call for as high a degree of mobilisation of resources and manpower. It was staggering to reflect on the number of agencies at work within the country and the little attempt made to co-ordinate them. The result was overlapping and waste. The region was the true planning unit. There had to be some degree of co-ordination of these plans. They had to be co-ordinated at the national level and the problem was to coordinate them at the regional level. No Government department could possibly do the job—it could only be done by decentralisation. Regionalism was the inevitable answer to the modern development of transport. Enabling legislation in the matter of regional planning had been passed in New Zealand in 1929, but in the present case the Government, to avoid delay, had decided to take the initiative itself and bear the cost of promoting regional schemes. The act defined a region as an area of land having natural boundaries or common social and economic interests. T'he map used as th e basis of the present discussions had been drawn up in 1930, and if adjustment were necessary it would be better it it were discussed among regional bodies after they were set up or between local bodies. There would be no quarrel with the Buller, district if it asked for a separate region. Insofar as it was an economic drainage area it could rightly be constituted an area of a sub-area. After dealing with the growth of regions and the factors that had dietated their boundaries, Mr. Mawson went on to say that the organisations which it was proposed to set up would have complete autonomy, and Government departments were to nlacp all available information at their disposal. . Whatever type of organisation suited best should be adopted. Each would have its own secretary—this work would be done by the Rehabilitation Department — and its technical adviser, and there would be an executive committee composed of experts only*—men with a wide knowledge of the work in their own field. This executive would also have sub-committees dealing with such matters as transport, land utilisation and public utilities. It was believed that the purpose oi all planning was human welfare- and wellbeing. All the facts, physical, social, and economic, should be gathered before an attempt wa’s made to discuss or plan for any particular project. The whole should be planned betoie the part. The people best qualified to plan for any particular economic region were those who lived in that region. Planning in the main was a job for experts. These were some pt the concepts behind the proposals. It was believed that almost any, problem between two or more persons could be resolved by good will and cooperation. r When the conference resumed aitei an adjournment for lunch Mr. Mawson outlined the possible courses tha. it might adopt in sotting up an organisation. BULLER DISTRICT Mr. May said he thought the difference with Buller and Inangahua over the question of boundaries should be dealt with. The chairman said there was no argument regarding Inangahua and Buller forming a new district, but there was a question as to whether the Westland district should go to the Reefton saddle, the boundary of the catchment district. Mr. Robertson, Mayor of Westport, said he was pleased that the boundaries had not been fixed. Buller was an integral part of the Nelson Land District. It had an affinity with the county immediately) north greater than that with the area to the south. Combined with Inangahua it was one of the most valuable sources of mineral wealth in New Zealand, and this area was important enough to have a district of its own. Westport was the natural outlet for Inangahua coal. He referred to the extent to which Buller was directed by absentees and said that there had been a fear that this would be the case again with the regional planning committee in Greymouth. ' Westport could be made on e of the finest harbours on the West Coast. He thought that a committee when formed would have to take every mile of the region and plot it, finding out resources and saying what should be developed. The resolution passed by the Westport Borough Council had been to the effect ’ that Buller and Inangahua should ’ be united to form a region of their own and that if that were impossible they, would link up with Nelson.

Mr. Archer, chairman of the Inangahua County Council, said he thought Buller and Inangahua were a self-contained unit. The area and its potentialities warranted a separate district being formed. The amalgamation of local bodies in the north had done good work. Westport was the natural outlet. So far as dividing Inangahua at the Reefton saddle was concerned, they did not like being dissected. Mr. Mawson said he thought the points raised by Mr. Robertson and Mr. Archer were unanswerable and he did not think anyone would object to the establishment of a separate region. He thought that Buller, Westport and Inangahua should proceed immediately with the formation of their own council, and that the councils of Westland, Buller, and Nelson when formed should set up a joint committee to determine the final boundaries of these regions. Mr. Wallace spoke of the good work of the northern league of local bodies. He thought the establishment of a separate council would give Buller the opportunity of showing just- what could be done. Mr. Robertson and Mr. Archer thanked the conference for its courteous hearing. The chairman moved: That this conference of delegates of Government Departments, local bodies, and other organisations in the West Coast regional area comprising Grey and Westland Counties with included boroughs endorses the principle of regional planning as the most practical means of promoting the economic development of th e region and approves of the establishment of a regional planning organisation for the West Coast. The motion was seconded by Mr. Elcock, Mayor of Hokitika, and carried.

A further resolution was then moved by the chairman: That a provisional committee be set up by this conference and that this committee be asked to make recommendations with respect to: (a) the most appropriate type of planning organisation for the region; (b) personnel and method of appointment of such organisation and name of suitable chairman; (c) constitution and terms of reference of such organisation; the committee to report to a further conference to be called by the Mayor of Greymouth within two months. This motion was seconded by Mr T. G. Jamieson, a member of the Grey County Council,, and carried. On the motion of the chairman and Mr. K. O. May, Mayor of Ross, it •was decided that the provisional committee should consist of one representative of each of the following: boroughs, counties, Trades and Labour Council, farming interests, timber interests, mining interests, the Rehabilitation committee, and ths committee was elected as follows: .Messrs Elcock (boroughs), Wallace (counties), Barrow' (Trades and Labour Council), Clayton (farming interests), Strongman (coal mining interests)/ Ellis (gold mining interests), Stokes (Rehabilitation committee), and a nominee of the Sawmillers

Association and one of the Progress League. The date of the next conference was left to the chairman. Mr. May said he hoped the organisation would not try to attempt too many things at once and that, it would not concern itself with things of an unimportant nature. He suggested that .it deal with the provision of safe, all-weather harbours for the Coast, the provision of electric light for South Westland, the protection of larm lands the establishment of new industries, and security of tenure for the sawmilling industry. The chairman thanked all for their attendance and announced that correspondence for the regional planning committee should be sent care of the local rehabilitation committee.