TOWN PLANNING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20963, 28 February 1930, Page 13

TOWN PLANNING.

• INSTITUTE CONFERENCE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATIONALWORK; (Special to Daily Times.) WELLINGTON, February 27.' Ihe importance of educational work in connection with • town planning wits stressed by the Minister of Internal Affairs .(Mr P. A. de la Perrelle), when speaking at the opening of the first conference of the New Zealand Town Planning Institute to-day. He pointed out that town planning offered a big field for young surveyors, architects, and engineers.

The Minister said he understood the keynote of the wor;k of the institute was to. be the education, not Only of those who intended-to take up town" planning. as a profession, but of the citizens of the'Dominion as a whole. It gave him great pleasure and satisfaction to announce that largely through the munificienee of Mr Hurst Seager, who, a year ago, presented 11 Government a large and valuable collection of books, reports, periodicals, and pamphlets on town planning, a reference library had been formed in the Town Planning Department which was now (open tree of charge to students, young and old, professional or otherwise, who sought to improve their knowledge of the'subject, the Minister expressed satisfaction at informed that it was the intention 01 the institute to publish a journal which would be of great value as a means of disseminating knowledge. Town planning was an art and a science which knew no national boundaries. He thought that too . little attention was being paid by JNew Zealanders, to the lessons which could be learned from other countries. Continuing Mr de-la Perrelle said he understood that the Auckland University authorities, had had under consideration the establishment of a school of town planning in conjunction with the chair of architecture. “I regard the establishment of academic training facilities in town planning in New Zealand at this time as a matter of the , first importance, he said. “ One of .the most serious handicaps under which local authorities, are working to-day the difficulty, /^°f n^ P . oSaibl!l , ty ' findin * competent assistants to work under the direction of toeir own technical officers, a course which many of them prefer to the employment of consultants m private practice. Town planning to-day offers ‘a big field for young surveyors, architects, and engineers who are willing to undergo the necessary training.” There was another important phase of education, said the Minister, and that was in reference to the man in the street. Mr de la Perrelle stressed the importance urgency of educating and organising public opinion at the present time.