VISION NEEDED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20233, 17 February 1934, Page 21 (Supplement)

VISION NEEDED.

Planning of Healthy Towns. The planning of cities and towns for many 3 r ears of future development was stressed at the opening of the first Town Planning Exhibition yesterday, speakers being unanimous on this as a means of improving social conditions. The exhibition was opened by the Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.), and the gathering was presided over by the chairman of the Canterbury branch of the Town Planning Institute, Sir R. Heaton Rhodes. There was a large attendance of members of local bodies, architects, civil engineers, surveyors and builders. Most of the representatives of local bodies recognised the necessity for town planning, said the Mayor, in opening the exhibition. It was possible, however, that members of the general public had not given as much thought as was warranted to this great subject. He pointed to the evil conditions which existed in many of the great cities of Europe through no proper plans having been followed in the designs of the towns and how, had a little foresight been shown, these evils could have been avoided. 11 was necessary for the people who lived in the cities to recognise the importance of town planning, continued the Mayor. When the ideals which were before those who had taken up this work were properly understood, more sympathy would be given by those who might have to make sacrifices to enable the schemes to be completed. The Mayor recalled that the New Zealand Town Planning Institute was formed only four years ago and now had a membership of 250, of whom 50 were members of the Christchurch branch. All members were under the necessity of promoting town planning ideas and it was necessary that they should be fully understood by the public. That was one of the things which the exhibition would help to accomplish. . Tributes to the work of the organiser, Mr V.. R. J. Hean, architectural assistant to the City Engineer, and the secretary, Mr E. F. Scott, were paid by the vice-chairman, Mr A. R. Galbraith, and thanks to the D.I.C. and the mana S er » Mr H. C. Hassall, for providing space and other facilities for the exhibition, were expressed by the chairman.