DECISION UNCHANGED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27384, 9 May 1950, Page 8

DECISION UNCHANGED

St. Kilda Council TOWN PLANNING ' SCHEME The question of the St. Kilda Borough Council taking part in the Dunedin Regional Town Planning Scheme was once again discussed at the meeting of the council last night. It came up after the town clerk, Mr J. V. Trezise had read two letters from the Town Planning Board, and the discussion was keen until Mr Trezise announced that it was out of order because no motion had been put forward. It was then somewhat hastily decided to receive the letters, and the matter dropped, leaving the previous motion of the council—a decision not to take part in the scheme —in force.

The first of the two letters stated that the Town Planning Board had decided to include St. Kilda in the Dunedin regional scheme with Dunedin as the principal local authority. The second asked the council for a draft of its resolution approving its decision to join the scheme.

Cr D. J. Simpson said that the board could compel the council to take part in its scheme. The Mayor, Mr W. Rutherford, said he did not like compulsion in any form. But one should not take a narrow view, but consider the advantages of the scheme from the point of view of the whole province. He was sure that St. Kilda would be ready to give its aid in this direction.

Cr B. C. Adam said that St. Kilda was not concerned with the plans of Dunedin. There was not a square yard of the St. Kilda borough that could be replanned. It was only wanted in the scheme so that it could help foot the bill, in the same manner as it was doing for the Catchment Board.

“We should not be forced to take §art in such a scheme,” said Cr N. H. hepherd. Dunedin would not grow bigger, but Mosgiel would become a city like Hutt—on its own. What was happening over the hill was nothing to do with them, as they themselves were not expanding.

Cr Simpson said that town planning was not simply the erection of buildings. There were also such things as transport, drainage and lighting to be considered. “If we are to have some say in the future of the borough, we should join the scheme,” he said. “ otherwise we might have a plan and costs imposed on us.” Cr Adam retorted that there was no possibility of a plan being forced on them, and they would also have the right to nominate representatives on a planning board.