REGIONAL PLANNING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20556, 6 May 1930, Page 9

REGIONAL PLANNING.

INQUIRY IN AUCKLAND.

OPPOSITION BY COUNTIES.

LSTTLE SUPPORT FOR SCHEME

Opposition by County Councils to the formation of regional areas under tho provisions' of tlie Town Planning Amendment Act was shown at the public inquiry opened by the Regional Boundaries Committee of tho Town Planning Board in Auckland yesterday. Over 40 representatives-of local bodies within the areas of tho Rodney, Waitemata, Eden, Franklin and Manukau counties were present. Tho members of tho committee conducting tho inquiry are Mr. S. Blackley (chairman),. representative of the Counties' Association on tho Town Planning Board; Mr. J. W. Mawson. director of town planning; Mr. H. S. Walsh, Surveyor-General; and Mr. A. Boglo, representative of the Instituto of Surveyors 011 tho Town Planning Board.

Tho chairman said tho committee had been sot up to obtain evidonco from local bodies and other sources in order to submit a report on the regional boundaries as required under tho Town Planning Act, Tho committee had already hold inquiries in the South Island and had drawn up nine provisional areas which covered the wholo of tho island. Tho present inquiry was to secure evidence regarding the area, socially and economically connected with tho city and port of Auckland, an area which had common interests and should be developed along common lines. There had boon little dissension in the South Island. Tho committee had already met in Whangarei and had drawn up a provisional region having as its southern boundary tho northern boundary of Rodney County. They wished now to find out if Rodney County desired to belong to the northern region or was satisfied with being included in * lie Auckland region. Moaning of Regional Planning, "Although I have already addressed two meetings in Auckland, I am sure that thero is still some misapprehension in the minds of county council members," said Mr. Mawson. "The only alternative to that supposition is to think that they are motivated by narrow-minded parochialism."' Mr. Mawson went on to say that criticisms made had evidently been based on a misconstruction or partial knowledge of the legislation on tho subject...•■■ The wholo trouble had been caused by grouping regional planning with the Town Planning Act for the sake of convenience. Tho regional planning' legislation could very well have been placed under lands or other Acts.

• Regional planning was really tho reverso of town planning. Its aim was to define a self-contained social arid economic unit, to investigate to the full all its present and potential resources and to develop those resources to the fullest possible extent. It gave ratepayers an opportunity to associate and promote tho development of that area and to remove all uneconomic overlapping of public bodies' activities. In short, it solved the question which had grown so important during the last 30 years t>f preserving intact the system of local government without, sacrificing tho economic interests of the unit,. Rodney County's Interests.

Mr. L. J. Verry, speaking for the Rodney County Council, said his council felt that up to the present tiiey had been somewhat in tho dark. However, they considered that their interests wero more allied to the north. From a .business point of view, possibly more people camo into the city, but in connection with electrical power and highway systems, their interests wero with Whangarpi. His remarks applied to . tho whole of, tho county.. There was more , similarity between the nature of the land of Rodney County and the north, than with tho land in the vicinity of Auckland. Tho question of hospital control was the. only argument that could be adduced for joining in the Auckland region rather than the Whnngarei County.

Representing tho City Council, Mr. T. Bloodworth read a statement briefly outlining the steps previously taken in the district regarding regional planning. The region suggested by the City Council and approved by most of the boroughs in the metropolitan area, he said, included the whole of the Rodney, Waitemata, Eden, Mannkau and Franklin Counties. It included one city, 11 boroughs, 11 independent town districts, one dependent town district and three road board areas. Other local bodies in the area were a, hospital board, a harbour board, a transport board, a drainngo board, and three power boards. The proposal had been opposed by the- counties and representatives of districts some distance from the city. Waitemata's Attitude.

"1 am instructed by tho Waitemata Council to state that they do not wish to be concerned in any regional planning scheme," said Mr. W. A. Bishop. "I have not been instructed to give any reasons."

In reply to a question from tho chairman, Mr. Bishop said he did not think ho wduld be present at tho next session of tho committee. At a special meeting of the council, it had been decided that at the present juncture tho county would not. be included in any regional scheme. "Of course, delegates from counties know that there will bo no course left •for tho committee to adopt, but to appoint leprosentatives of tho counties, if they are in a minority," said the chairman. "The counties will be forced into the position of having jepresentatives not appointed by them." He added that (lift committee was legally empowered to do so.

"The Franklin County Council does not wish lo be included in any regional scheme at the present juncture," said Mr. J. N. Masscy. "It seems to me that the Regional Planning Committee would merely bo a kind of department set up to control all Iho. functions of a local body, ,to toll it where to place a wharf or build a hospital or construct a road," said Mr. C. A. Cawkwell, clerk of the Waitemata County Board Socks Reasons. Mr. Mawson explained that the empowering provisions of Hie Town PlnnAct. did not apply to tlio Regional Board, the recommendations of which were non-obligatory on public bodies. Tlio board would act only in an advisory capacity. Ho went on to express tlio opinion that the county councils should at least como out into (lie open and give their reasons for objecting to the scheme. For the Manukau County Council, Mr. E. Ashcroft, county clerk, said its opinion was that the time was inopportune for discussing any regional scheme, and it would not commit itself to preference for any area. Approval of the previous region suggested was made by representatives of the NYirthcoto Borough Council and tlio Henderson Town Board. Mr. A. 0. Lowe, representing the Heletisville Town Board, said that if the region as at present proposed was split at all, llelensvillo would prefer to belong to the northern part. Mr. S. E. Kennings, representing the Waitemata Power Board, said the board objected to not having direct representation ou tlio Regional Planning Board. Opposiit'n lo the proposal was in.tdo l\y the representative of the Pukekohe Borough Council. The inquiry will he continued at 10 a.m. to-day.