IDEAS CONFUSED

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18167, 4 November 1930, Page 10

IDEAS CONFUSED

TOWN PLANNING METHODS. EFFORTS IN WELLINGTON. Some interesting- observations on the lack of appreciation of modern town-planning principles by those responsible in laying-out the city of Wellington were made by the DeputyMayor, Mr M. F. Luckie, when opening the first annual meeting of the Town Planning Institute of New Zealand at Wellington. Mr Luckie said he hoped that the very important work in which they were engaged would bear fruit, which I lie community as a whole desired, and which the importance of the subject required. Although town planning was a matter of well-established principles in many of the older countries of the world, it was nevertheless of comparatively recent birth in New Zealand. Mr Luckie said at .present there was a very confused idea of the principles underlying town-planning among a body of the public. One of the worst cilies from the point of view of lack of definite principles in congested a 'eas was Wellington, by reason of the fact that it was planned without any object in view except that of saving as mucli money as possible. Narrow Lanes. ■Mr Luckie said that in the first .place Wellington was owned mostly by a large number of people who never intended to come to New Zealand, and did not come here. They laid it out for themselves without regard for the future. • One of the consequences was that there were streets 49ft Gin wide and ten chains apart, and “city acres’’ with a frontage of two chains and a depth of five chains adjoining sections similarly situated. The narrow lanes which now disfigured Te Aro Flat - were a result of that, and now presented a tremendous problem to the city.

“Another matter, entirely apart from the educational aspect of town planning, Is the question of legislation,” Mr Luckie. “/ think it is high

time that the Administration of New Zealand awakened to the importance that attaches to the work. I venture tc. say that the legislators themselves require education in the importance of town planning, just as fully as the general body of the public. _ The vast importance of town planning carried out on recognised 'principles cannot be stressed too greatly, and the success of the institute’s efforts will have far-reaching consequences, and will do a great deal towards making our cities, both present and future, a pleasure to live in, rather than places out of which people arc all the time anxious to get.” Betterment Bill. Mr Luckie referred to the efforts of the 'City Council, in the interests of the citizens of Wellington, 'to have the Betterment Bill placed on the Statute Book. Unfortunately its efforts were not successful, and he hoped that Parliament would pass legislation next session which would be applicable to the whole of the Dominion. Mr Luckie assured the delegates in conclusion that the citizens of Wellington were entirely in accord with the objects of the institute, and believed that if they were brought to fruition a great advance would be made in the matter of civic administration throughout the Dominion.