TOWN-PLANNING DIPLOMA

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 418, 28 July 1928, Page 5

TOWN-PLANNING DIPLOMA

PROPOSAL CRITICISED ENGINEERS’ VIEWPOINT A proposal to establish a diploma in town-planning at the Auckland University College, has aroused comment from the Auckland provincial branch of the Society of Civil Engineers. At its annual meeting last evening, the society left the question to its executive to draw up, with Professor S. E. Lamb, suggestions from the viewpoint of civil engineers. Professor Lamb, a member of a special committee appointed to revise the scheme, raised the question of whether the work of the engineer was being overlooked in the conditions. It seemed to him that there was a strong bias toward the architectural viewpoint. It was suggested that candidates for the diploma should pass examinations, including three drawings under the head of practical work. In his opinion, the drawings had too little scope. The examiner’s proposal seemed to be too closely allied with architectural •work to place the diploma on a broad basis.

Mr. W. E. Bush, a member of the Town-Planning Institute and the examination advisory committee. said the practical side had been considered and could be amplified. It would be impossible to exclude architects wholly from town-planning. The work included largely that undertaken by municipal ejigineers. Mr. A. D. Mead maintained that engineering views were largely lost sight of in discussions on town-planning. Opportunities of laying-out attractive small towns had been lost because the plans had been made by land agents or in some Government office.