TOWN PLANNING.

Timaru Herald, Volume CI, Issue 15399, 16 July 1914, Page 5

TOWN PLANNING.

FOR NEW ZEALAND. INTERESTING LECTURE PROMISED. There is not the slightest doubt that the mission of Mr W. R. Davidge, F. 5.1., A.R.1.8.A., A.M.I.C.E. (London County Council), and Mr Charles C. Reade (Organiser or the Atrstralasian Town Planning Tour), in favour • of-town-planning, has aroused considur"able'ihtei'est'throughout the Dominion. Mr. Reade has spent a very busy month preparing for, the reception of his distinguished colleague, and has been literally inundated with inquiries and requests for lectures. The interest in Town Planning," he -says, "is a fair indication that many people in New Zealand tire eager to see their towns and cities progress on more) comprehensive lines, and with a greater consideration for civic attractions, orderliness and beauty. Too of our towns straggle into existence along the lines of .an old-fashioned checkerboard plan. The consequence is their appearance is often monotonous and characterless. To remedy .this it is. essential that they should be acquainted with what town planning has done and is doing in England and Germany, in France, America and other countries. It is also essential that they should realise the tremendous burden and strain put upon the cities of other countries through neglecting to look ahead and avoid the evils of ill-con- j trolled growth . congestion, and over- i speculation in land. If New- Zealand neglects the lesson of Europe and America, or fails to be guided by their misfortunes and social tragedies, her cities must sooner or later be plunged into the economic and social morass that in the last fifty years alone has choked and stultified millions of lives in the slums and congeries of western civilisation. Town planning is not merely a matter of drawing a. number of lines on paper or beautifying a few streets and public squares; it is something much deeper, which seeks to rectify the mistakes and blunders in civic life arising from want of proper forethought and care beforehand. To understand the question and realise the message it contains, the best thjng people can do is to spend an evening hearing and seeing these splendidly illustrated discourses to be given by Mr Davidgo and myself." Mr. Davidgo is duo to lecture in Choral Hall on Friday, 24th inst., at 8 p.in.,/when His Worship the Mayor wil] preside. He has the unique attraction of being an architect, surveyor and engineer, thus \initing all" the professional qualities requisite to the successful town planner. As a surveyor of the London County Council, he has had a ; large experience in dealing with big civic, problems, and is intimately acquainted with all the latest developments in town planning in England, Europe and America. His lecture, " The Message of Garden Cities and Town Planning,"' will be ■ illustrated with a wonderful wealth of ; facts, pictures and diagrams, giving a ; bird's-eye view of the whole topic. The •; lantern slides are drawn from over 1000 pictures which Messrs Davidge and ; Reade have brought to New Zealand ! with them.

As the lecture is free, and already considerable interest locally has beeii cvince'd in the subject, there is little doubt that a large number of townspeople yill be eager to hear so eminent an authority on the subject.