TOWN PLANNING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17634, 26 May 1919, Page 9

TOWN PLANNING

WORK OF THE CONFERENCE. LOCAL DELEGATES RETURN. 1 The Otago delegates to the Town-planning Conference in Wellington returned to Dunedin on Saturday night. ' This is tho first conference of the kind, and the most representative of any conference every held in the dominion. Over 4CO delegates were present, representing all descriptions of public bodies and institutions, women's societies, etc. The conference was very although tho programme was much too heavy for the average delegate. Four papers, moro or less technical, were read every day, and with lengthy discussions and frequent committee meetings the week might well bo termed a strenuous one. A feature of tho proceedings were tho exhibitions and picture shows. There were exhibited architectural plans of towns already in existcnco and of others.yet to be built; pictures of slums within and without Now Zealand; examples of the world's famous statuary; and a variety of views of innumerable subjects of tho same order. The object of tho conference was to consider the necessity of town-planning. legislation, and the application of town-planning principles to all new towns and to future extensions of present towns and cities. The delegates were unanimous in expressing the opinion that the result of the conference would be widespread, and that its educational_ value would be great. The full proceedings aro to be published, and tho facts, figures, and photographs will form the basis of all future consideration of townplanning in the dominion. There was a remarkable collection of examples of poster work, representing the highest development of the printers' and lithographer's art. The attendance at. the exhibition, which was held in the Town Hall at Wellington, was large, though not so largo as it might have, been if judicious advertising had been done. Among the visitors were several thousand children.

During the course of tho conference, papers were read dealing with various aspects of town-planning, including roads. Some of the j>apers came from acknowledged experts in Australia, and many of them were illustrated by lantern slides. Some of the garden cities which formed the subject of illustrated papers were an inspiration to delegates, and gave them a comprehensive idea of the tremendous advancement of town-planning principles in the extension of old and the building of new citics.

V erv intoresting l proposals were made with regard to tho future main arterial roads. On© suggestion was a road from Invercargill to Auckland, and tho method of construction and the materials to bo used were fully discussed. The estimated cost of this road was £6,000,000. The conferenoo considered tho Townplanning Bill introduced by the Minister of Internal Affairs last session; suggested certain amendments, and strongly urged that the Bill should, be passed into law as speedily as possible. .Tho effect of the Bill would be the immediate appointment of an expert town-planner. Associated with him would be a town-planning commission, which would consist of experts in architecture, engineering, surveying, and public health. Tn© business of tho expert in lite commission would bo to confer with local bodies on the question of extensions, and this would obviate a repetition of tho present evila associated with city extension. The aim of the Bill, in short, is the building of new cities and new towns freo from the old evils.

An interesting report was that of the Committee on Housing, of which the chairman was the Hon. J. T. Paul, M.L.C. The committee reported as follows:—"There is ample evidence that a pronounced shortage of houses, numbering many thousands, exists throughout the dominion. Many of the houses are not up to a standard of civilised comfort, a fact which intensifies the acnteness of the problem. We recommend that the Government recognise housing shortage as ono of pressing national necessity, that the Government cooperate with _the local authorities in carrying out housing schemes on town-planning hues, and that the State undertake to finance the sohemea, while leaving a reasonable decree of initiative and subsequent full control m the hands of the municipalities; that the Government subsidise local bodies up to one-third of the cost of approved building schemes; that the Government be recommended to at crnoe set aside the sum of £1,000,'000 as a subsidy to carry out tho above resolution; that the Government be earnestly requested to undertake the building- of a garden city on the lines laid down by Mr S. Hurst Soager in his paper. We are of opinion thait th© housing problem can be materially assisted in this way, that the prosperity of the country will be in- 1 creased, and the comfort and happiness of the worker secured; that tho Government should restore the pro-war railway service as early aa possible." , lu. the evenings continuous picture exhibitions were given, at which fflmo -nsm shown of Continental citics, and also some story films, which were interesting' because sot in surroundings of town-planning interest'.