TOWN-PLANNING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 46, Issue 14147, 19 June 1920, Page 4

TOWN-PLANNING.

The proposed laying-out, and beautifying of a town is now recognised on all sides as being consistent with, and in the best interests of, the daily life and health of the inhabitants. In the early days many towns were not planned at all. They came into being without any attention having-been given to beauty or public convenience. There are one or two towns in the Warrarapa which' have been fairly well laid out. It is safe to say that had a Town Planning Association been in existence when Masterton was laid out, we should have had a town much mowpleasing to the eye, and healthier. We think that the Government should certainly lend financial aid in the work of laying out towns properly, and w.e think that the day is not far distant when public utility societies will- be placed on an equal footing with (Stateemployees in the matter of financial assistance for the laying-out ot a village settlement. ■The' Town-planning. Association .argues that..if the Govern-, meat can finance public servants’ organisations it should -also assist associations of private citizens, properly coin fptifuted, of course. If the Government, encouraged private enterprise along, this line there would soon grow, up well-planned garden settlements such as have proved so successful in England and other countries. Then, again, public utility or town-planning societies would get all classes interested i» town-planning, they, would vie with the Government and local bo lie's in the perfection of their schemes, thus creating a healthy rivalry that would greatly benefit the housing condition of the whole Dominion. Under the limited conditions of (he present Act the general public has,no interest in the matter whatever; in fact, it us questionable if the average man or woman knows there is such an Act in-opera-tion.