TOWN PLANNING

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8737, 20 May 1914, Page 9

TOWN PLANNING

THE CAMPAIGN IN WELLINGTON. “T>o »ci:ure the advancement of Greater 'Wellington and in particular to facilitate the development of a demute &oh-eme ot Ix>w u-planning, _ has occupied the first place in. the objects jf the Greater Wellington Municipal Electors’ Association since its establishment. The monthly debates, organised by the association last winter, dealt with several subjects bearing jn town-planning, but at a recent meeting of the executive it was decided to take the question up in a comprehensive way. This decision was influenced to some extent by reason of the fact that the membership of the association (in addition to active suburban, municipal electors’ associations, which have a very largo following) now totals 1000 individual citizen members, and with this large number behind the organisation it is felt that it _is not only entitled to speak on this important subject with authority, but also with the knowledge that its views are more likely to be given effect to. At the last meeting of the executive it was decided to commence the winter season debates on June Ist, and the subject set down for discussion was as follows: —“That, a petition he forthwith presented to the Government requesting the passing, during the approaching session of Parliament, of a bill constituting town-planning boards, to consist of representatives of the Public Works and Railways Departments, local bodies, and directly elected representatives of citizens.” The leading speakers will be Dr Newman, M.P., Messrs A. L. Hunt, and J. S. Barton. The meeting, which, promises to be an interesting one, will be open to the general public, and special invitations are being sent to members of local. bodies, chambers of commerce, ratepayers’ associations, and institutes of civil engineers and architects. Subsequent debates will deal with various phases of town-planning, and a definite policy, it ’is hoped, will he evolved thereby. At the same meeting a motion will be proposed to alter tbe name of the association. so as to read the “Greater Wellington Town-Planning and Municipal Electors’ Association.”. The object of this is to make it quo to clear to the public that town-planning is the leading feature of the association’s work, which publicly has not perhaps been attained merely by incorporating of this provision in Its objects. A great stimulus is expected to be given bo the town-planning movement by the approaching visit of Messrs Daridge and Reade, town-planning lecturers, who open their campaign here in July next. Am active canvass for the special purpose of obtaining funds to help to defray tile cost of those lectures, and subsequent work in townplanning, is now being mode by the association’s organiser, Mr ,C. Smith, and the executive have every confidence that the citizens will realise the importance of the work now actively undertaken and liberally respond towards so worthy an object.