TOWN PLANNING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 115, 18 May 1933, Page 6

TOWN PLANNING

A LOST OPPORTUNITY AMERICAN MISMANAGEMENT FOLLOWED. (By W. C. BARCLAY.) The resignation of Mr. Mawson from A the position of Director of Town Planning, stands out as an addition to a long list of the Dominion’s lost opportunities. The greatness of the tragedy can be appreciated only when it is realised that his severance with New Zealand was tho result of shortsightedness over a subject of which both the legislators and public were in relative ignorance. The cry that town planning is an extravagance shows clearly how great was that ignorance. Town planning is not an extravagance. Because its name has been associated with the activities of various beautifying organisations it has earned the reputation of providing an outet for their endeavours. Art in times of economic stress has no value, and so as a result, town planning has suffered. Town planning stands for far more than the planting of trees and the prohibition of unsightly hoardings. Tt stands for the aiding and promoting of economic life of tho city itself, end without it the city must pay in.inefficiency, time wasting and also in hard cash. Distribution of streets, allotmen’ of business industrial, and residential areas, co-relation of transport services, local body reform, and the restriction of vested interests, are but a few of the many aspects of municipal economy which town planning encompasses. If the introduction of beautiful gardens and parkway? fond to help thfl economic life and well being of the city as indeed they do, then they are so used, but it is entirely erroneous to assume that this small phase nf town planning activity constitutes the whole subject. New Zealand is a young countrv. but. even so, she i« beginning to pay for her follies of the past, and with this last mistake, faces dangers of gravity. Originally. most of her cities and towns were planned by men of vision. Unfortunatelv, when they went, no one took their place, and so. building has been allowed to extend wherever it willed, irrespective of order, and directed by the desires of real estate firms, speculative building and particular interests. To-day, as an illustration, Auckland is faced with traffic difficulties and a maldistribution of industrial activities ■which, in a few years’ time may threaten her economic working to a very dangerous extent. Already the correction of mistakes has cost the ratepayers much monev. In like manner so must all our other towns and cities suffer if we have no suitable well ronsidered town planning scheme?. The study of town planning is considered so vital in the older European countries that legislation nn the subject, has become a main item in anv campaign. To-day England leads the world . in town planning reform and tho numerous schemes completed and proposed need no introduction. The obvious benefits of Bourneville nnd Port Sunlight are but a few of the immeasurable advantages of wise foresight. On the other hand, it is necessary only to look at some of tho American cities whore no town planning legislate has boon enacted, to observe the evils of conjested slums and tho appal ling economic loss duo to faulty arterial lines of communication and resultant traffic dislocation. Tho legislators of Now Zealand have boon offered a choice of these two alternatives. for there is no middle way, and. in their ignorance, they have taken the United States as their precedent. When thov realise their error it is hoped thov will follow England.