REGIONAL PLANNING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20721, 14 November 1930, Page 12

REGIONAL PLANNING.

EFFECT IN RURAL AREAS. DOUBTS AT PUKEKOHE. [nr TELEGRArff. —OW.V CORRESPONDENT.] PUKEKOHE, Thursday. After an address by f.lio director of town planning, Mr. J. W, Mawson, on ".Regional Planning" at a public meeting at Pukokoho last" evening, a resolution was passed questioning Hie benefits of regional planning in rural areas. There was an attendance of about 20 air the meeting, which was presided ovor by the Mayor of I'ukekohe, Mr. John Routly. The resolution was moved and seconded by Messrs. J. P. Rao and P. Miller, members of the Borough Council, and was carried without dissent. It read as follows: —"That having heard Mr. Mawson's address, this meeting is of opinion that the claims as to the advantages which will accrue from regional planning are extravagant and the meeting considers that very careful stocktaking as to carrying out the project in ils entirety should bo made before imposing it on the rural areas of New Zealand." In reply, Mr. Mawson said the ideas represented by regional planning were new and' he appreciated that it took peoplo some time to grasp the widespread benefit (Fiat could follow their adoption. Ho was optimistic that as peoplo became well acquainted with the proposals they would bo converted from opposition to co-operation. \ . In his address Mr. Mawson said regional planning was intended to co-ordin-ate productive enterprise on the basis of a general survey and knowledge obtained by past experience and investigations. In this way the aim was to utilise ' and develop the resources of tho Dominion in a purely economic manner. Economy was tho watchword to-day and ho asked was a levy of l-50th of a penny in the pound on the ratable value tho amount a regional planning committee could collect—foo much to provide to prepare a scheme" that could mean great savings for tho future. Commenting on the address, the chairman said ho had noticed that of the 1 regional planning committee for tho : Auckland district, most of tho members would bo from tho city and suburbs. By their preponderance in numbers they would bo ablo to imposo their will on tho rural areas whether the latter were in approval or not.