LAND FOR INDUSTRIES

Chronicle (Levin), 20 April 1946, Page 4

LAND FOR INDUSTRIES

J.

McLEOD.

Sir, — The Levih Borough Council, at its meeting last Monday, seems tb have considered that little or no weight shbuld be attached to U petition ,from 31 residents, who compfise pfactically all those s ii'vihg in the vicinity of the four and a-hklf abres of land the council Wishes to utilise as an industrial area., I may state that the majbfity of these residents have. elected to live in that locality because it is essentially * residential. While it. hiay be desirable to encourage the establishment of ■ ihdustfies ih Levin, it seems to me that the council's attitude should be bne of conside.ration for the directly-express-ed wishes of a solid section of the hurgesses, by :whom it is appointed tb represent .and, act for withi'n its legal .powers, rather than to decide the desirability or otherwise of its policy, and pursue it regardless of ! its effects upon the feelihgs, cbmI fort or privacy of that body of residents most directly affected. ! In essence the petitioners said to the council: "Please do not encbur- ; age the establishment of factories next to our homes. We live in a residential area and it is oUr wish that it remain such. If it is desirable to encourage industries here, please ensure that they are placed somewhere where the adjoining properties are not closely built upon with residential homes." One has only to walk down the easte.rn iend of Liverpool ■ Street to see the j large areas of vacaiit land, quite femoved from residential quarters, which is ideally suited for industrial . purposes. I -suggest the Mayor concelitrate upon drawing up his town planhing scheme defining industrial areas away from residential quarters, regardless of who oWns the land. Having done that I think ^e Will find, that industries will be draWn here according tp the amount of willing labour avail'able, i and that the owners of property .will make sites available since the jonly future markets for theif seCi tions will be manuf acturing con^ icerns. The pufchasing of a site is ; the smallest f actor and cost anyone seeking to establish the sort of l-industry which would be suitable ifor establishment here has to con- ; tend with. By f ar the greatest fac- ! tors are the erection of suitable j premises and procuring sufficient ; suitable labour. The labour can, after all, only be attracted here by having ample desirable residential '■sections available. i1' I 'think I can'say with justificajtiori that if His Worship and his .Counbillors looked at the matter in I this . light they would be giving jgrgafer effect 'to the wishes' of- the j people fpr whosfe benefit they hold ! offjce, than Would be so by adopting the attitude of: "We require indus.ftrjesy here is council land, we niust j Utilise it to encourage industries ^regardless of the f eelings ' of those iwhose homes adibin it."— I arn. etr...

Levin, Apnl 18.