REGIONAL PLANNING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20560, 10 May 1930, Page 13

REGIONAL PLANNING.

THE HAMILTON ZONE.

SUGGESTED BOUNDARIES.

[nr TELEGRAPH—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] HAMILTON, Friday.

Further evidenco was heard in Hamilton to-day by the committee appointed under tho Town Planning Act to recommend regional planning boundaries. Mr. S. Blackley presided. Tho Hamilton town clerk, Mr. W. L. Waddel, said that in the opinion of the Hamilton Borough Council the Hamilton region should comprise the counties of Raglan," Waikato, Piako, Matamata, Waipa, Otorohanga and Waitomo, with all tho boroughs and town districts within the boundaries of those counties. The council believed that the population within the counties named was rapidly coming to look on Hamilton as its centre. Buses ran daily from Hamilton to Te Aroha, Cambridge, Te Awamutu, Huntly, Glen Massey, Te Kuiti, Kawhia and Raglan. The areas, in tho Waikato and Raglan counties north of Rangiriri had little interest in common with Hamilton.

Air. R. Worley, borough engineer, Hamilton, said that in a few years all the roads converging on Hamilton would be asphalted and thoso districts which now did not appear to have much community of interest with Hamilton would come to realise with improved transport facilities that Hamilton would bo their economic centre.

Mr. G. Albertson, Public Works Department, Taumarunui, expressed the opinion that the northern portion of Kawhia County was best served by Hamilton. There were special problems in tho King Country counties which warranted tho establishment of a special region. These problems included analysis of soils, soil deficiency, the chango from timber production to grazing, and the question of reverted or deteriorated lands. Native lands presented a big problem, and European farmers were finding too large a proportion of the rates that were levied for road maintenance.

The Ohura railway, which would be completed in two years, would affect the King Country in determining the regional area which would suit it best, Hamilton or New Plymouth. Mr. F. S. Dyson, district public works engineer, Auckland, said he thought the whole of tho Matamata, Waipa, Otorohanga, Raglan, Waikato and Kawhia counties, with tho exception of small distant parts of some of the counties named, should be included in the Hamilton region. Detailed evidence concerning the proposed boundaries of tho Hamilton region were given by representatives of the Te Awamutu and Central Power Boards.

The committee will meet in Tauranga 011 Mondav.