REGIONAL AREAS

Southland Times, Issue 21195, 23 September 1930, Page 7

REGIONAL AREAS

QUEENSTOWN’S POSITION “STANDS IT WHERE IT DID?” ' DUNEDIN PRESS COAIMENT (Special to the Tinies.) Dunedin, September 22. Under the heading of “Stands Queenstown Where it Did?” to-night's Evening Star says’ in an editorial: The little difference that has occurred between Otago and Southland bodies whether Queenstown should be joined with one district or the other under the regional planning scheme, seems to be more an academic or a sentimental issue than one in which any great practical consequences are concerned. It is very flattering to the delightful lake town, no doubt, that its possession should be so disputed by rival suitors, but its relations -with adjoining districts and their cities probably -will continue much the same, being dictated by convenience, not by draughtsmen in whatever boundaries for a particular purpose it is included.

The difference has arisen as an outcome of the latest Town Planning Amendment Act which provides that before anything more is done with ordinary town planning schemes agreement must be reached for the regional planning of more comprehensive districts. The Town Planning Board made a tour of the Dominion, taking evidence from a great number of bodies as to how they would like the boundaries for these to be drawn. It is understood that it would have heard more evidence in Dunedin if the full scope and implications of its mission had been more accurately understood before it arrived and it is possible that, in some other quarters questions raised by it would have been differently viewed it more consideration had been given to them. As the result of the opinions which it heard the board has issued a provisional map in which, contrary to the pleas urged in Dunedin, part of the Lake County, including Queenstown, has been cut out of Otago and joined to the Southland district. The Lake County Council by a majority we believe of one and the Queenstown Borough Council likewise by a small majority, gave their approval to this combination, but the lake it is understood, did so under a misapprehension that their town had always belonged to Southland. In the days when there was a political Southland Queenstown belonged to Otago. There was no political Southland when the provinces were abolished. . Some time befors that happened the most southern district had already lost its separate administration merged once more in that of the larger entity from which it had been -temporarily divided.

The sentiment which would accentuate the distinction between Southland and Otago rests therefore upon the least material of bases. Some divisions were, however, required for- various administrative purposes after the provinces as such were abolished and Queenstown was incorporated with Otago for purposes of land administration and with Southland for most other purposes. Different boundaries were thus drawn for different requirements and the Town Planning Board has drawn a boundary of its own which is debatable in proportion to its newness. The idea is that after the- regional planning districts have been neatly formed the way will be free for the defining of arterial roads and other parts of their development, but as these roads are already constructed and the lines of development of the districts concerned established, it does not seem as if, except in detail, there is much left for the Town Planning Board to do. Various Southland bodies are opposing the attempt of Otago bodies to get the proposed boundaries altered. So far as Quenstown is concerned presumably the question will not be finally settled till the board’s plan has been ratified by Parliament which is not likely to be done this session.

The board’s proposal might have more than minor inconveniences for Otago if at some, vaguely distant time it should be found necessary to reconstitute the provinces for general local administrative purposes on something like their former basis though with morel restricted powers. A model for their boundaries might be found then in the lines drawn for regional planning purposes though there seems no invincible reason why it should. Meanwhile, it is claimed, the great majority of Queenstown’s business is done with Dunedin and by far the largest proportion of its visitors reach it through this city. Those conditions are not likely to be affected by any decision of the Town Planning Board.