REGIONAL PLANNING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 225, 22 September 1945, Page 3

REGIONAL PLANNING

CONFERENCE IN WANGANUI DISTRICT CO-ORDINATION With the object of co-ordinating the efforts of local bodies and other organisations, so that the activib es of each separate body are directed along li.-es which will result in the maximum benefit to the district as a whole, a further conference of the newly-const.tuted Wanganui Regional Planning Council was held in the City Council Chambers yesterday. The Mayor, Hon. W. J. Rogers, presided, and delegates representing various local todies and other organisations were present from all parts of the Wanganui district. Actually, the conference was a resumption of that held in Wanganui on March 9, last, and the principal business was to discus the constitution of the new organisation.

Reports were received from meetings of the provisional executive held on March 12, May 17 and August 21, also a recommendation of the appropriate type of organisation for the Wanganui distret. Convenors were appointed to the various committes which will collect relevant data and make recommendations to the central executive. The chief research officer for the Organising of National Development, Mr. G. N. Calvert, said that an agreement had been reached between the organisation and the Ministry of Works as to the procedure to be adopted. The Ministry of Works would be responsible for investigating all projects involving Government expenditure. It was intended to declare these proposed works and when this was done the required land could be taken over, though that did not necessarily mean that the scheme would be carried out immediately. These schemes would be submitted to the regional councils in the district-. concerned and the councils may suggested any alterations. In this way there would be a co-ordination of effort. It was important that the various works should be placed in. that order of relative priority, said Mr. Calvert, who added that each regional council should appoint a liaison officer, preferably an expert, to confer with the department. "The main purpose of this meeting,” Mr. Calvert said, “should be to establish the machinery for the Regional Council.”

The appropriate type of organisation for the Wanganui region. as recommended by the Provisional Executive Committee, was adopted. Mr. Rogers paid a tribute to the work of those who had attended eke various comm ttee meetings to formulate the preliminary proposals. “This report is a credit to those who drafted it,” Mr. Rogers added. “They endeavoured to make it as concise as possible.” Mr. K. W. Dalrymple (Rangitikei County) said it was proposed to have one representative from each local body on the executive. The Rangitikei County, however, had a length of 65 miles and it was very difficult for one man to know all of it, particularly as conditions changed. Mr. W. G. Belton (Patea) asked if this could be overcome by co-opera-tion with the engineer. Mr. Dalrymple replied that county engi eers had a wide technical knowledge, but men on the executive should actually live in the districts concerned. Mr. F. Purnell (Marton Borough Council) suggested that Rangitikei’s d fficulty could be overcome by appointing one repre.e fative for northern ridings, and another- for southern ridings.- “It is a large county,” he added. “There is provision on the various comm ttees for d'rect representation from counties,” said Mr. L. F. Row (Wanganui Ctv Council). It was possible that there would be several county representatives in the executive, but thi- body, with 25 representatives, ■ would he very large. Care must-be taken to see that the executive di d not become too cumbersome. “As th.s organisation develops it will be found that there are matters which are not provided for,” said Mr. Rogers. “I take it that these difficulties will be overcome.” Mr. H. J. Donnelly (Raetihi Borough Council) said that there did not appear to be any prov.sion for farmers’ representation on the executive.

One of the main committees was that set up for land utilisation and primary production, said Mr. Row. “Farming interests will have d.rect represenation,” he added. Mr. G. W. Sampson (Works Department, Wanganui) said the Rangitikei Catchment Board should be asked to have a representative on the Land Utilisation and Primary Production Committee.

The works programme would be a major task for the Wanganui Regional Planning Council, said Mr. Row. “It will be very far reaching, but some time will elap-e before we can get down to any scheme.” Delegates present at the conference were: Mr. L. F. Row, c.ty engineer, representing the Wanga. ui City Council; Mr. E. A. Millward, chairman of the Wanganui Harbour Board; Mr. T. Dix, clerk-engineer, Waitotara County Cou: cil; Mr. R. G. Taiboys, Wanganui Hosp tai Board: Mr. A. McPhail, president, Wanganui Chamber of Commerce Mr. W. Moore. Wanganui Trades and Labour Council; Mr. C. W. McColl, Bulls Town Board; Mr. P. H. Wise, Waimariro County; Mr. H. J. Donnelly, Raetih Borough Council Mr. K. W. Dalrymple, chairman of the Rang! tike: County Council; Mr. R. R. Dawson, county engineer, Wa. ganui County Provincial Execut.ve, Federated Council; Mr. J. Brandon, Wanganui Farmers; Mr. T. G. Belton, chairman of the Patea County Cou: cil Mr. G. A. Ammundsen, .ecretary, Wanga-nui-Rangiti kei Power Board; Mr. F. Purnell, Mayor of Marton, representing the Marton Borough Council; Mr. A. H. Feathersto. e, Crown Lands: Mi G. W. Sampson, district engineer. Works Department, represent ng the Ministry of Works; Mr. L, L. J. Brooker, Registrar, Native Land Court, representing the Native Department, Wanganui; Mr. J. Dow. district engineer, Wanganui Railways Department Mr. A. R. Lowe, distr.ct rehabilitation officer, Wanganui; Mr. G. N. Calvert, chief research officer for the Organ! ation for National Development. The secretary of the Wanganui Regional Planning Council is Mr. B. A. McElwain, who is attached to the Rehabilitation Department, Wanganui.

A technical committee was set up as follows: Messrs L. F. Row, G. A. Ammundsen, E. R. Hodges, G. W. Sampson, R. G. Taiboys and F. J. Hill. Conveners appointed for the main committees were:— Land Utilisation and PrimaryProduction Committee: Messrs. A. Mac Nab and W. G. Belton. Communications and Transport Committee: Messrs. E. A. Millward, M. G. Blgnell and J. Bergen. Public Utilities a, d Serv ces Committee: Messrs. 11. Webb and R. R. Dawson. Industrial Development. Committee: Me srs. A. McPhail and J. Harris. Public Amenities Committee: C. W. Florae. C. 11. Rli mes end S. Halt. Housing Committee: Mr. D. A Morriso ’, a returned member of the find. N.Z.E.F. (yet Io be appointed) md Mr. M. Anderson. Loen' Government Committee: ’■lon. W. J. Rogers, M.L.C., and Mr P. Andrews. It. was decided to hold the firs’ : xceutive mooting in Wanganui on November 30