THE H.B. TRIBUNE TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1929 HASTINGS CIVIC SQUARE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 30, 22 January 1929, Page 4

THE H.B. TRIBUNE TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1929 HASTINGS CIVIC SQUARE

"JVHE MAYOR and Councillors of Hastings, it may be said with confidence, will have the hearty support of the burgesses for the proposal to establish a civic square for the borough that is now well op its way to being entitled to be called a city. It is never too early for urban communities to make or secure reserves for purposes of this kind. The longer such undertakings are deferred in progressive towns the more expensive their carrying out naturally becomes. There is no time, therefore, like the present for serious consideration to be given to the plan in view which was last evening disclosed by Mr. Maddison at the monthly meeting of the local Chamber of Commerce, fully reported in another column of this issue.

It is only within the last few years that' the people of this country have been awakened to the necessity for the adoption of systematic schemes of townplanning. For too many years, and more especially in a town like Hastings resulting from the subdivision and resubdivision of privately owned areas, developments were allowed altogether too much license in shaping themselves without due regard to the interests of the community as a whole. Things have, however, been gradually tightened up in this respect until now we have on the statute-book a series of Acts which virtually compel regard for the health, recreation, and convenience of the general body of residents. This legislation has found its latest expression in the Townplanning Act which, after much unjustifiable delay, was passed some two years or more ago, an Act of whose existence the great majority are probably in complete ignorance. Under this it is incumbent upon the Governing body of every urban area having a population of a thousand or over to submit to a central board, already constituted, before the end of current year a town-planning scheme in respect of all the land within its jurisdiction. Under this it- is proposed to remedy, as far as possible, the sius of omission and commission of the past and to prevent their repetition in the future. Presumably in the scheme for the Borough of Hastings wil] be included the civic square which is now under discussion. For those who are not inclined to attach much value to aesthetic considerations it may be said that it has been proved beyond question that healthful and beautiful surroundings make not only for happiness and enjoyment, but also for far greater efficiency. This practical value has been realised time and again by practical men who have instituted what have come to be called “garden cities”

for those in their employment. All who care to give the subject thought will recognise that even what has already been done in Hastings in the way of turning into beauty spots what previously were eyesores has had a beneficial effect. A central civic square such as that which is now proposed is a virtual essential in any modern scheme of town-planning, and the sooner we set to work about securing a site for it the better. The only consideration that might warrant delay would be the placing upon the requisite land an exaggerated selling value. In that case there might be warrant for deferring action until the power of compulsory acquisition could be put into operation. However, there seems as yet no ground for thinking that the owners will be anything but reasonable in assessing the prices at which they will voluntarily part with their properties with such a good object in view. An early and satisfactory closing of negotiations would seem to be to the advantage of all concerned, while the work to be undertaken once the land is acquired would provide employment for hands that might otherwise be idle during the coming winter.