The Hutt News Wednesday, April 3, 1946 DEVELOPMENT PLANS

Hutt News, Volume 20, Issue 15, 3 April 1946, Page 7

The Hutt News Wednesday, April 3, 1946 DEVELOPMENT PLANS

The Mutt Valley Chamber of Commerce and Industry must have been gratified at the success of its meeting last week. The attendance was very large, and it is doubtful if any more representative gathering of town and distinct interests —business and professional men and local body representatives —has ever been l)Ald in Lower Butt. It was part*darly appropriate that this should be so, for the guest speaker. Hon. R. Semple. Minister of Works, outlined very comprehensive proposals which will vitally affect the future of the Butt Valley. By the initiative of the Chamber of Commerce the information given by Mr. Semple and details of his' vast development scheme have reached those most likely to use them for the benefit of the people as a whole. The plea for co-operation made by Mr. VV. H. Kindle, president of the Associated Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand, is also likely to bear fruit.

Mr. Semple’s address was listened to with great interest. The Butt Valley of the future, as envisaged by the Minister, was an inspiring spectacle of big population, thriving industries, lovely homes, and new towns with all the amenities of life. Be went further and spoke of development schemes in other parts of New Zealand- One aspect of Mr. Semple’s proposals will cause some people to think seriously; they seemed to encourage the eountrv-to-town flow of popular lion, which has already created serious problems in the Dominion. Wellington to Upper Butt was .visualised as practically one big city, also Wellington to Porirua, while a subsidiary town is in the making at Tama lei, .just outside Auckland, despite the fact that the northern city’s traffic problem is already so acute that an underground railway is necessary.

The establishment of co-opera-tive stores in the new area is another matter that may arouse controversy; business people will probably have divergent views on the matter, and the general public may wonder whether it will be good for Lower Butt as a whole to make these new suburbs so self-centred. Be that as it ma.v, there is no doubt that Mr. SclAple’s scheme has aroused widespread interest.