TOWN PLANNING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12404, 23 August 1918, Page 6

TOWN PLANNING.

THE BRISBANE CONFERENCE. Mr ,S. Hurst Seagcr, who was the only New Zealand delegate to the recent Town , Planning Conference at Brisbane, returned to Christchurch yesterday, after a very successful trip. Mr Scager, when seen by a reporter yesterday,-was full of enthusiasm for the cause of town planning, and very pleased with’his;journey. He said that although there' was only one Now Zealand delegate, the Australian States sent a very great number, from as far afield as Perth, the total reaching 5*20. the Queensland Government was very keenly interested in the conference ami also in the exhibition, and voted - a sufficient sum of money to make the occasion very educative, and enjoyable. Mr Seagcr, said that the conference attended very closely to business, sitting from 9 a.m. till 10 p.m. at times, with an afternoon interval for excursions. The accompanying exhibition covered 40,000 superficial feet of wall space, representing very fine drawings and photographs, which were of wonderful educative value. Unfortunately, the cases sent from Wellington ami Auckland got into bond and could not bo exhibited, but tho Government exhibits of workers’ homes, from the Labour Department, were well mounted and displayed, and attracted much attention. Mr Soager said that the lantern slides of New Zealand views that ho took over were shown every night, and once or twice ho showed tho whole series, and (liev were a splendid advertisement for "tho Dominion and created a, strong desire among the delegates to attend a New Zealand conference in the future. Mr Seager said that the next conference would be held at Sydney and another at Melbourne, and New Zealand might bo able to extend an invitation later. Tim big impression made on all ot tho delegates, Mr Seager said, was the necessity to “do it now.'’ ' They realised how, on every hand, tho loss of great opportunities in the past had entailed enormous difficulties for the future. At tho same time, tree planting in streets was being strongly advocated. and the polo nuisance was being combated. The remedy in this case was to put down a tunnel to carry all the water and sewer pipes, electric lines, telephones, and so on. The original cost of such a tunnel would bo more than compensated bv the saving effected in the non-cutting uo of roads. ■

The repatriation of soldiers was a matter that occupied a pood deal of attention, four papers on the .subject oeitig read. The conference agreed that the soldiers should not bo segregated matter of settlement, and Mr beager was very gratified to linct, notwithstanding: n divorsitv of opinion in the papers, the/conference unanimously agreed to his motion affirming that repatriation should take the form ot self-contained garden villages on a railway line, with good water supply and drainage, and with tno attractions commonly found in large cities to afford the‘amenities of city life while tho men wer e eno-ao- e d m agricultural, pastoral and other pursuits.