GREATER LONDON

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25085, 26 December 1944, Page 6

GREATER LONDON

RECONSTRUCTION PLAN MOVING 1,000,000 PEOPLE A master plan for the reconstruction and reorganisation of the whole of the greater London area in an estimated period of ten years has recently been published. The magnitude of the task involved is illustrated by the fact that the plan deals with an area of '2700 square miles, containing in 1938 a population of 10,250,000. equal to 20 per cent of the entire population of the United Kingdom. The reconstruction plan states that four clearly defined rings must be established. Provision is made for an inner urban ring, with an average radius of nine miles, in which there should be a graduated population density ranging from 200 an acre, mostly in flats in a few. residential areas, to 75 an acre on the outer fringes. Outside this would be a suburban ring, averaging from 9 to 12 miles from the centre, with a population of 50 to the acre.

The third ring would comprise a "green belt." with a radius of between 12 and 17 miles, containing some outlying towns, but where, since 1935. considerable amounts of open space have been publicly acquired and where further building should, in the main, be banned. The fourth is an outer ring up to a 30-mile radius, mainly in farmlands, where a farmer would be encouraged "to perform his unpaid functions as nature's landscape gardener and steward of the countryside," but capable of absorbing much of the necessary "over-spill" from the central area.

To implement the recommendation that generally no new industries should be introduced into London's urban area, the plan contemplates the removal of over 1,000.000 persons to some 300,000 new homes, and the removal of 2500 factories. Industrial and housing developments in the past have not been co-ordinated, and 86 per cent of workers living in new housing estates have had a, daily journey of eight miles each way. Wartime evacuation of factories and business has shown .what is possible when removal is essential. One thing to be avoided is the further establishment of factories on good market gardening land.

OBITUARY MRS C. HENWOOD (0.C.) HAMILTON, Monday The death has occurred at her residence, Te Rnpa, of Mrs Caroline Henwood, aged So, widow of Mr Frederick Henwood. Formerly Miss Caroline Lister, Mrs Henwood was born in Wanganui, where her father was one of the early contractors. She married 06 years ago and settled on a farm near Elthain. She later moved to Te Puke and 41 years ago settled with her husband on a property at Horotiu. Upon their retirement, Mr and Mrs Henwood purchased a small property at Te Rapa Mr Henwood died 13 years ago. Mrs Henwood is survived by two sons and four daughters. There are 21 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren

VISITING SEAMEN CHRISTMAS ENTERTAINMENT A fall programme of entertainment oygi the Christmas holiday for visiting seamen has been carried through by the l'ljing Angel Missions to Seamen. Jhe festivities began o;. Thursday evening with a dance and musical items and supper. On Saturday afternoon a sports meeting was held, and in the evening there was a party dance and supper. Holy Communion was celebrated the Mariners' Chapel at 10 a.m. 011 Sunday, and in the afternoon the visiting sailors were taken for an outing in sightseeing buses, returnin< r for Christmas tea at the mission. There were enrols by a visiting choir, games musical items and presentation of gifts 111 the evening, and the day ended with a strawberry and ice cream supper. Holy Communion was celebrated in the Mariners' Chapel at 9.15 a.m yesterday and there followed a full day's outing and picnic at Ferndale. where sports and games and swimming were enjoyed. Poultry and strawberries and ice cream were included in the fare for Christmas lunch. The visitors were entertained in the evening at a picture theatre. The Christmas address at the well-attended chape! service was siven by the Kov. I). S. Millar. . g The Harbour Lights Guild was responsible for the caterinc, and the arrangements irere carrier! through under the direction of the Rev. H. K Vickcry, port chaplain.