ORAKEI TOWN-PLANNING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19125, 17 September 1925, Page 7

ORAKEI TOWN-PLANNING.

Sir,—-I have had an opportunity of viewing the various schsmes .of townplanning submitted to the Government. I take it as au axiom that the following are the points to which consideration is duel.. Beauty; 2. Utility; and 3. Economy. On the first-point there is little to choose between ,the placed competitors. On the second point, the schemes of competitors obtaining second and third places are quite superior to Mr. Hammond's. But on the third point, that of economy, there is no question at all, that the plan of Messrs. Blake and Brown is far ahead of anything else; and before anything further is done the powers that be should seriously consider whether as a matter of business they should pass over this scheme. The number of lots works out, I understand, at 1600, whereas Mr. Hammond shows only 1300. Any person having to do with suburban subdivisional selling knows well that lots are rarely sold on a frontage or aiya basis, but at so much per lot. It was hoped that sections would be available for the- great mass of people at a reasonable figure, but as Mr. Jordan, M.P., pointed out, £SOO pefc section would bo prohibitive to the average wage-earner. The point thfct full and careful consideration should,be given to is this: If to reimburse . the . Crown , for its outlay it would bo necessary to ask for £SOO per section oh tho basis df 1300 sections, then if Messrs. Blake and Brown's scheme bo adopted, tho Government could afford to sell at about £406, thus bringing the price within the means of persons of moderate means. It is to be hoped that this phase of the matter will not be overlooked before the Crown commits itself to any scheme. business-