TOWN IMPROVEMENT

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7872, 7 August 1911, Page 1

TOWN IMPROVEMENT

FOR GREATER WELLINGTON SCHEME ’’UNDER CONSIDERATION CITY ENGINEER. AND MAYOR INTERVII'AVED.

All over the world at the present time the question of town planning and town improvement is receiving a great deal of attention, not only by Governments, but by nmnieipalities. Willi a view to obtaining an expert opinion on the subject in its relation to Wellington a “New Zealand Times” representative interviewed the city engineer. Mr -Morton holds very strung views on the matter. He said Wellington had proved itself a most progressive city in regard to public services, such us water supply, sewage, tramway, etc., hut the time had now arrived when the City Council might give more attention to the question of town improvement. He pointed out that the city had grown gradually. In the original plans none of the present outlying districts were marked. because they did not'exist, hut as laud was gradually cut up and population increased first one suburb and then another came into lining. The roads were const meted by the syndicates that subdivided the land, the convenience of the public in practically every instance bc- , tug a secondary consideration. THE MUST STEP. “The first thing that should ho done in connection with the improvement of Wellington," ho said, “is to properly locate the main roads capable of giving Ibo best access to the various outlying districts. What X call ‘n town improve-ment-plan’ should be prepared showing clearly what should tie done in the years to come, and when work is undertaken Hum time to time care should be taken to see that the sot plan is not deviated from. It should be kept steadily in view and worked to as far as lands will permit. Of course 'town planning' as the term is generally known is scarcely applicable to Wellington. The town is already planned and all that wo can hope to do is to make gradual improvements ns time and opportunity oiier. How are you going to approach the outlying districts? That is a question of tho greatest importance. Take Brooklyn, for instance. Is the present approach to bo considered satisfactory for all timet The same question applies to Roseneath. Kolbarne, Kilbirnie, Hataitai and Wadestown. They tire our principal outlying districts and the approaches to them aro far from satisfactory, and as population increases tho difficulty of access will -bo felt more keenly. But mind you, Wellington is faced with this problem : Any rectification now decided upon will cost a considerable amount of money and 1 do not suggest for one moment that a plan should bo prepared with tho object of a scheme being carried out immediately. My idea is that it would ho advisable to have some sot scheme worked out on a proper basis, for the improvement of tho whole ot greater Wellington, so that no work could lie x>ut in band which would prevent or hamper, or even conflict with the completion of tho scheme at some later date when tho necessary time and money aro available. In addition to marking out main approaches and future approaches to the suburbs, nil the congested areas of the city should be plainly shown with a view to wiping them out in future ycai-s. The plan would also show the portions 0 f the town belt that could be planted with advantage, or made into playgrounds; and other likely places for recreation areas should be marked out with a view to their future acquisition. PERSONAL GAIN. All tho large estates surrounding Wellington have been cut np, the sole object of the syndicates having been to. obtain tho greatest monetary return. There has been no thought of tho future of tho districts concerned. No land has been sot aside for playing grounds or parks, every available inch of territory being cut up for building purposes alone. All has been done for the personal gain- of tho individual, and when eventually the corporation has taken over the streets it has been found that-no provision has been made for recreation grounds; and for years past tho city has been spending thousands of pounds in a vain endeavour to provide sufficient spaces for recreation purposes- It is not too late now to set about improving matters, and tho plan I speak of should show how Wellington would look in, say. twenty-five years’ time. Everything that has been done up to tho present time has been carried out spasmodically and in a piecemeal style. This would not have been tho case if tho corporation had worked on a set plan such as 1 am now suggesting. A proper plan, although it would lie costly to preuare, would be an invaluable guide to successive councils. There, has never been any continuity of system with councils in the past. Councillors with varying views are continually being elected andiudividnal efforts are mado with a view to work being carried out to benefit particular localities, but not for the improvement of tho city ics a whole. What has been done anywhere in tho outlying districts whore laud has been subdivided to benefit tho future generations? Simply nothing; and the laud has become so expensive that tho price is almost prohibitive now for the council to acquire decent areas. Then tho Acts of X’arliament under which we aro working do not give local bodies anything like sufficient power to deal satisfactorily with the land. Tho local authority can only act under tho "-powers given by statute. In most countries at the present time increased powers ore being given to local bodies by the general government, but in New Zealand the tendency is to take away those powers, local bodies being controlled to a great extent by regulations issued by nl. OUR BAD APPROACHES.

Wo have exceedingly bad approaches to our outlying districts. but it cannot bo said that the Wellington City Council is or has been backward in regard to municipal As far as the public services usually given by local authorities aro concerned Wellington is in advance of any other city in Neff Zealand. X think that the council has done wonders in the past, but seeing that town planning, is receiving attention all over the world it seems necessary that the subject should receive attention here also. Sydney is spending thousands of pounds ut the present time on the improvement of its main thoroughfares, while London is expending millions, and it does seem necessary that some consideration should be given by the City Council to the improvement ‘of the whole of Greater Wellington. If a town improvement plan Is adopted the council will have to see to it that no work is put in hand which will