THE RETURN OF MR FOWLDS.

Colonist, Volume LIII, Issue 13020, 8 February 1911, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE RETURN OF MR FOWLDS.

(From "The Colonist," Jan. 25.) The Hon. G. Fowlds has returned from South Africa, where ho represented the Dominion with distinction at the celebrations in connection with the inauguration of the Union Parliament, with two messages for the people of New Zealand. The lirst is with regard to what is known as the Grey Collection, the books and manuscripts relating to the early history and colonisation of this country left by Sir George Grey. The extremely valuable works in the Auckland Public Library do not comprise the whole of the collection dealing with New Zealand, the balance being in the Public Library at Capetown. The collection of books and manuscripts relating to South Africa left by the groat Proconsul to the people of that country is similarly defective, a portion of it being included in the Grey Collection at Auckland. A simple exchange between the two countries would theretore make their respective legacies complete, and in on? of his works Sir George expressed a wish that such an exchange should be effected. Efforts have been made at different times to comply with this wish, to the mutual benefit of both countries, but while the custodians of the South Africa:: collection are apparently anxious to meet New Zealand in the matter, there, are legislative difficulties in the way which up to the present have not been overcome. One part of Mr Fowlds' mission to South Africa was to endeavour to expedite the transfer, and he states that he has reason for hoping that his efforts will shortly prove successful. On another matter of more material concern Mr Fowlds has much to say. It is about the science of town planning, which has been taken up seriously in England and elsewhere, and Mr Fowlds is impressed with the urgent necessity for action being taken in New Zealand before it is too late. His remarks on the subject at the welcome accorded him at Auckland the other day no doubt referred more particularly to that city, which is adding to its population in a remarkable manner, but the rapid settlement which is proceeding in the vicinity of the centres of population all over the Dominion gires Mr Fowlds views a more than local application. "When I arrived in Auckland over twenty-five years ago," Mr Fowlds said, "people impressed on me how wonderfully well the city was supplied with public parks, and when I visited the beautiful Domain, Albert Park, and Western Park, I accepted the impression as a truo one, for it was true that for a city and siiburbs of some- 57,000 inhabitants, Auckland was moderately well supplied with parks. To-day, however, you have an Auckland with a population of well over 100,000, and what of to-morrow? I am of the opinion that before some of tho young children living in Auckland to-day shall have left school, the city's population will be a quarter of a million, and that many of them will live to sec it over half a million." Thanks to public enterprise and private generosity, the latter particularly, Auckland is as well equipped with public reserves as any city in the Dominion, but we can cordially sympathise with the anxiety of Mr Fowld3 for the future. "Wo have to recognise," Mr Fowlds went on to say, "that the conditions of our Dominion cities are entirely different from those of growing cities in tho Old Land. There you have in most cases old families holding considerable estates all around the cities. It is true that in most cases they do untold harm to tlie cities by holding back their estates from settlement until tho price becomes so exorbitant, but they give this decided advantage—that open land is available for purchase by the cities for park land before it is complicated by being roaded and built upon. In some cases owners themselves provide- open spaces when cutting up the land. Think of the enormous tracts of suburban land being cuf up, first into five or ten aero lots, and then being subdivided into six or eight allotments to the acre, without an inch of open space being provided for the children to play on, except the streets. To me it appears positively appalling, when I think of the future. Tho Eight Hon. John Burns lias done » great deal to make the question. of town planning a live one in Great Britain, and the whole, question is being considered scientifically all over the world." The remedy for deficiencies which are likely to appear in future in New Zealand will no doubt lie, as Mr Fowlds suggested, ia legisla-

tion, and already there is no lack of instances in which the provision of legislative authority giving local bodies wider powers in the acquisition of land for scenic and recreative purposes would bo welcomed. Such a case has recently attracted much attention in Nelson. Mr Fowlds has undertaken to interest himself in securing an enactment of this nature, and we may shortly expect some tangible result from tho inquiries he has evidently made in the .course of his"travels.