A READY-MADE CITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20516, 18 March 1930, Page 9

A READY-MADE CITY.

CANADIAN UNDERTAKING. PREVENTION OF SPECULATION, [FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] VANCOUVER, Feb. 19 With the opening of the spring, Churchill, the prospective city, terminal and port of the new Hudson Bay Railway, will begin its career. For two years it has been a big construction camp, with hundreds of men occupied in the completion of the railway and harbour -works. With the natural resourcos of Manitoba now handed over to the Provincial Government, a beginning is being mado with municipal life and the planning of a city which Manitoba is determined to develop as its seaport and an alternative route to Liverpool for its grain. In order to prevlnt a boom in land apd city speculation, the Dominion Government has kept the place closed to outsiders except those engaged on construction work.' Since taking over control of the town site, the Government of Manitoba has not allowed land grants to be made. When the town is thrown open il> will not be on the basis of sale of lots, as has been the universal practice in the past, but on the basis of leasehold. This has been done' to prevent speculation. This new experiment in land administration applied to a town which seems assured, of rapid growth is certain to attract the attention of students of social and economic organisation. It is very unusual to have a whole city operated under leasehold, with the Crown itself as lessor. Hopes of success for the Hudson Bay route have greatly increased lately, especially since the Canadian Government has invested £4,000,000 in the railway and harbour works. Capital and labourhave become very active in the Northland, and prospects for travel on the new line are considered bright. Some have hopes of Churchill being the landward link of a great transcontinental railway across Northern Canada, with the Pacific terminal near the Alaska boundary, and connected by spur lines throughout with the existing trunk lines from coast to coast.