TOWN PLANNING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 18116, 5 June 1919, Page 8

TOWN PLANNING.

HARBOUR BOARD DISCUSSION. The question of town-planning was before the Lyttelton Harbour Board at its monthly meeting yesterday, iollowing on a report by Mr Cyrus Williams, tho board’s engineer, who attended the recent conference and exhibition in Wellington. Mr Williams stated that at the conference many interesting papers were read on the subject of town-planning and housing generally, and tne discussions thereon were interesting, though somewhat discursive. However, as the principal benefit of such conferences was to cultivate and disseminate a state of mind in the people favourable to the reception of measures tending to induce or compel improved conditions of planning and housing, the wide range covered in tho discussions had its useful side. Committees were set up to bring down reports on the various aspects of the question, und the various report* of those committees were adopted, with or without amendment, by the conJerence, and would substantially be the basis of tho report of the conference. The only committee’s report whicn could bear immediate fruit, by being incorporated into law, was that set up to consider any improvements whicn might be made in the Town Planning ilill prepared by the Minister of Internal Affair#. Th£ report of that committee was generally favourable to the Bill, the proposed amendments being in the direction of malting the Bill more comprehensive and mandatory. . Mr Cyrus William# said he had been greatly impressed by the conference, and as far as he wa* concerned he would use his efforts la future In the direction of assisting town-planning.. Mr Flood asked whether any practical good would result from the conference. Lt was easy enough to talk about doing things and another thing to do them Mr S. K- Sleigh asked what was the i connection between the Harbour Board and town-planning. He was strongly in favour of town-planning, but did not see how the board was , concerned in the matter. The Hon R. Moore said he considered the board was concerned in the matter, • and could do a lot to assist the movement. There was a big field for townplanning operations on the Cashmere Mills, between Hoathcate and Cashmere. Mr F. Horrell said the board coaid (50e to it thht the conditions under which the waterside workers lifred were improved Mr T. Blackley said the board had seventy-eight acres which would be utilised at some time in the future, when town-planning could be applied. The chairman supported the previous speakers, considering that the movement was one which tho board should assist In every wav. V; Dr Thacker suggested that the secrei tiiry should write to the Sydney Bnr- : hour Board and get particulars of the ' workers' homes along the water front : in Sydney. There wore double houses .there, of five rooms each, which were Jet at From 7s 6d to 12s 6d a week. The speaker referred to the recent conference in Christchurch, nnd said that ns a result of The “ live ” executive set up tit that conference much real work would be done in the near future. Mr H. Holland said that the Harbour Board had done very wiselv in associating itself with tho town-planning conference. He moved that the chairman and Mr Flood should be appointed delegates from the hoard to the TownVlanning Association, i • The motion was earned unanimously, also a motion approving of the report . of the delegates to thp conference and {hanking them for their services.