CIVIC BETTERMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2935, 15 June 1910, Page 91

CIVIC BETTERMENT.

By Wilhelmina Shebhife Bain.

Our lovely planet, with its never-failing succession of gorgeous spectacles on land and sea and sky, has but lately given birth to the passion for civic comeliness. Beautiful cities there have ever been since cities first were built; but in every instance their beauty has too greatly depended on external aspect. What visitor to “bella Napoli,” for instance, is not dismayed by sounds and sights and smells? The dogs that scavenge the streets of Constantinople are miserably familiar to every reader. The grandest centres of civilisation have reason to deplore the foulest slums ; and even these, our towns of Austral lands, are not distinguished as they 'should be by the sweet freshness of smiling youth. But the new spirit which has fashioned garden cities in England is waving its wand of enchantment wide and far. Men and women are realising in full certainty that cleanliness is next to godliness; and, further, they beg to perceive that beauty is an essential and a paramount factor in the evolutionary scheme. How shall we prepare for that diviner humanity which is pressing forward into being? Consciously" and unconsciously this demand is felt as a world-wide instigation. Glasgow was a pioneer in the crusade of amenities. Many other great cities of the old world have awakened as she has awakened, each with some characteristic of its own—since communities,

even as individuals, have their idiosyncrasies. Berlin, for example, limits street architecture to five storeys, with sensible and pleasing effect, especially in mid- j summer, when her innumerable balconies \ blaze with geraniums. Harrisburg was a United States leader in civic betterment, directing herself largely to street-planting and pruning. One of her citizen enthusiasts visited widely throughout the union, lecturing and exhibiting views of “As She Was” and “As She Is,” with finely emulous results. Then the women of Toledo set another example Considering that citykeeping' is but an extension of housekeeping, they concerted plans for spring cleaning on the municipal ’ scale. With ; besoms, pails, etc., they themselves showed how streets and yards should be kept, and how henceforth they must be , kept. | Now, the civic sense is described as a wave of enthusiasm sweeping over the entire country. New York is establishing three new open-air schools (she already has three) for tuberculous children —such as already exist in many other American centres. Sadly enough, it may be said, she needs them, since official computation gives 15,000 open cases of tuberculosis in New York city schools. Her Commissioner for Street-cleaning reports, “Besides establishing thousands of additional re- 1 ceptacles in every borough, notices will : be sent to each householder and placards | will be posted requesting active co-opera- \ tion by men, women, and children to keep the streets free of litter. The Commissioner will also give lectures illustrated by stereopticon views. Peaceable methods will be tried, but an enforcement of the city ordinances against littering the j streets will be urged and demanded.” j Washington has initiated her improve-! ments by attacking uncovered barrels in 1 back yards. Women’s clubs, college | alum me, the Suffrage League, and the ’ Teachers’ Association are heartily enlisting the aid of all the women of Columbia district foi this purgation of the national capital. j Pittsburg, the Smoky City, has passed an ordinance limiting the outflow of black smoke from any one stack to eight minutes per hour. It has been found that smoke consumers increase the heating capacity of fuel from 10 to 15 (even in some cases to 25) per cent. ; so that considerations of public welfare will be reinforced by those ot private gain in this widely-needed , reform. i Seattle is opening a Comfort Station j 60 x 55 feet in her densest thoroughfare, s Heating, lighting, ventilation, plumbing, toilet supplies, bootblack stands, and—in the men’s section —a cigar stand are provided for public accommodation in the best style of equipment. Oklahoma City requires that all milk shall be served in bottles, a rule which is already the custom of many American communities. Wisconsin has abolished public drinK’ng cups throughout her cities, and Massachusetts is about to do likewise. New bubbling fountains are springing up everywhere in those States, and little glazed paper drinking cups are easily and cheaply obtainable. The bill-boards agitation is becom-

ing a national fervour, in wholesome reaction against a nuisance which seems to have no sc-nse of decency—which from such a shrine as Niagara itself asserts Uneeda Biscuit! Parks and playgrounds are being planned artistically and generously, streets are being widened, entire cities are being remodelled in many parts of America; while new cities are learning to heed such costly object lessons. Our colonial cities have felt the benign influence of this new spirit; but they will experience yet more fully its directive force. . Cleanliness cannot possibly be attained until motor traffic shall have superseded animal power; but some approximation may be hoper for in scientific methods of street formation and tendance. Every city, every town, every village has some natural beauty feature which can be emphasised, some wast places which can he embellished—and not one spot which needs be- desecrated by the litter of an excursion holiday, for example. The art of road tree-planting and gardening we have yet to learn. Fra Elbert Hubbard discourses charmingly of a railway garden which he observed in travelling * through North Dakota: half an acre ot oldfashioned flowers grown and guarded by the school children. Here is a really vital hint to aid us all. With the co-operation of men, women, and children we shall ere long behald the ideals and achieve the practice of civic betterment. In the middle of last century Robert. Buchanan wrote: "What arc ye building so fast and fleet, O humankind” "We are building palaces for the feet That press behind!” Belter environment for a be-tter humanity. and Terra wheeling round to the Better Day!