TOWN-PLANNING

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 5 August 1926, Page 4

TOWN-PLANNING

TREND OF PUBLIC OPINION

INTERVIEW WITH HAWERA

CITIZENS

A Hawera Star reporter interviewed, various citiens to obtain their opinion upon the Town-Planning Bill now before Parliament.

Mr E. Dixon, avlio lias been connected with beautifying work already carried out in this town, reserved his opinion uutil the next 'Chamber of Comm'erce meeting; Mr L. A. Bone vigorously opposed the measure; Mr F. C. Spratt, chairman of the late Hawera Town-Planning Association, approved, but laid an indicative finger on .some weaknesses in the proposed legislation; Mr J. S. Murray, Avhom tlie Borough Council consulted in connection, with the Dixon Avenue scheme, and avlio has been in touch with tlie Bill from, its incipient stages, outlined the strength which lav behind tlie drafting of the provision's; and Messrs l>offill and Gibson .spoke on town-planning generally. TOWN CLASSIFICATION DESIRABLE.

Mr F.* C. Spratt- said: “I certainly approve of the general principles of the Bill, but I think, first of all. that the provision requiring borough of 1000 and oA’-er to make plans requires -some consideration.. The need for town-plan-ning is seen most clearly in- industrial areas and in the larger centres of -population. Some small centres, particularly in agricultural and pastoral districts, may regard the compulsory -requirements a burden, without my compensatory value. ‘‘lt occurs to mo that there are three classes of towns 1 : (1) Those that are obviously likely to increase in population (i.e*. Hawera and New Plymouth), and it is reasonable __ to expect such towns to have, a definite programme of improvement. (2) Centres- which are likely to remain stationary (some such in Taranaki could be named); this partly owing to the improved highway system, and increased motor traffic diminishing the importance of intermediatetowns. To my mind, it. is questionable whether these should be required to g reduce a scheme -a© required by the ill. (3) Those towns obA'iously doomed to decay, such a.® one sloes, on the West Coast of the South Island). It seem© that the compulsory provisions of the Bill should not apply to such town s. J ’

BETTERMENT CLAUSES

Mr Spratt then proceeded to consider the betterment clauses, particularly the provision that one half the amount of the betterment increase should constitute a debt payable by the owner of that property to the local authority. “This is ail entirely nw departure in Ncav Zealand,” said Mr Spratt. “I should like to knoAV whether any such provision has been tried elsewhere, and, if so. with what results. It, seems to me that the burden of improvement should fa 1 ! upon the community in general, and that' there is no more reason for saddling private owners with such a betterment debt (if one may so call it) in respect of town-planning, than there would in respect of benefits to accrue from the construction _of any other public works, such as railways or harbours. ’ ’

HOW THE BILL WAS FRAMED. Mr J. S. Murray ss aid that, in the course of the past year, the New Zealand institute of Surveyors was the means of getting together in Wellington a central committee, which undertook the preliminary work of drafting most of the provisions of the TownPlanning Bill. This committee was comprised of one member from each of . the Society of Civil Engineers, the Surveyors’. Institute, and the Institute of Architects. together Avithi the Government officers usually attached to .such a committee. ‘Hie central committee was in constant contact with the Sur-veyor-General, and was composed of the best men in New Zealand on townplanning. After many meetings and discussions on Avhat would be suitable for townplanning legislation, the committee finally recommended to the. Government a draft- Bill incorporating Avhat they thought to be tlie hest provisions for establishing t-own-planning in the Dominion. Mr Murray said he had not .seen the actual Bill, but, from what he read of its clause® in the press, it- seemed to he identical with the central committee’s recouiendations, with- this exception: The committee suggested one year in which this local bodies were to submit a town-planning scheme, instead of three years, as proAb.ded, by the Bill before the' House. The Surveyors’ Institute re presen t ati ve in Wellington Avas ft, man Avho had studied town-plan-ning schemes very closely, and many of the conclusions the committee arrived at —especially in regard to betterment and regional town-planning —Avere inspired Ibv the experience of Adelaide, where. their success had been demonstrated .

The larger cities, such as Auckland, had advanced already in the betterment scheme, and in the beautifying part of town-planning. ‘Wellington had within the last few years cleared out what was originally an eye-sore, and has started to beautify the city on lines not antagonistic to the provisions of the Town Planning Bill. In, conclusion. Mr Murray said he Fas in. accord with the sentiments expressed through, the Press of other towns, that bv the application of the principles of the Town-Planning Bill New Zealand’s possibi'ities as regards health, beauty, and civic orderliness could best be realised.

A PESSIMISTIC VIEW

Mr L. A. Bone said that it was difficult to form a decided opinion upon the Bill without closely going into: its- provisions.He had not seen a copy hixnseff, hut from what he had heard from other sources he considered the Bill would be no good in its present form. He thought, with the Mayor -of Hawera and the Borough Council, that an opportunity should have been given- for full discussion of the measure. Definite steps should have been taken, by the Government to secure the opinion of tli local bodies, and to ascertain how the proposed legislation would affect particular towns. "It might- he. .impossible,” said Mr Bone, referring to particular towns, “to carry out the mandatory clauses of the Bilk and most likely.it will inflict great hardship on property owners, who, in many cases, are improving their property. and even their streets, out of their own pockets.” TKe feeling; of the people throughout New Zealand was in favour of improving the towns bv town-planning. In pome cities the money spent on city beautification by civic authorities and private citizens was noticeable. The betterment clause was sure to press heavily on- many householders, as a large number were paying off the oost of their homes. The increased capital value would increase) the rates. In most- towns in New 1 Zealand the burden, of rates was just about as heavy as could be borne. ARCHITECTS’ OPINIONS.

Messrs Duffill and Gibson stated tha t they had not had an opportunity of perusing the Bill. In reference to planning generally, they said:

-We think a Town-Planning Bill is very necessary, anti form the opinion from results obtained in other countries where toira-p!aiming has been adopted. Undoubtedly, a community cannot too early set it© house in order, by providing a proper plan for future development. We consider that a young community could: well benefit by the expensive exanip’es of oLder towns, where thousands of pounds have had to be expended on remedying town-planning defects which, could have Tveen avoided.” The idea, was to make a homogeneous- whole of the toivn, instead of a haphazard arrangement. Certain areas would I>© set aside for industrial development, residential and business centres being consigned to suitable localities. This would prevent factories

being set- down in residential areas, as had been the cas e in many New Zealand towns. The power to govern the position of buildings on allotments would enable the -local authority _to secure streets with -suitft.ble 'breathing space, and of uniform alignment. The control of general building design would be -a safeguard against freak architecture..

A special instance of the .shelving of town-planning proposals was the case of London, Adhere, as far back a-s Sir Christopher Wren’s time, comprehensive development plans were drawn up, w hich, had they been adhered to, would lnive precluded the- necessity for the removal in- recent yeans of acres of slum© to allow the formation of one adequate street. New Zealand, being a young country, had every opportunity of benefiting by this legislation, wisely applied. The details of tlie Bill and the practical application thereof, should be carefully Avatched by the local authorities concerned .to prevent undue hardship, and too- much red tape interference.