TOWN PLANNING

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2149, 15 May 1914, Page 9

TOWN PLANNING

: • GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE SOUGHT PROPOSED LECTURES The Hon.; H. D. Bell (Minister of Internal Affaire) was interviewed yesterday by a deputation representing tho committeo which is making arrangements for the proposed tour through Now Zealand ot Messrs. Davidgo and Reade, of tho English Town Planning Association. Tho deputation asked for a pound for pound Government subsidy on amounts collected in tho various centres to defray tho expenses of tho tour. Mr. 801 l said ho had already received a letter _ from Mr. Justice Neville, of the English Association, on the eubject, and had replied assuring him of the sympathy of tho Government and of its willingness to assist. Tho matter Was now before Cabinet, but he was not in a position to say what the extent of the assistance would bo. Mr. Atkins said tho subject was one of Dominion importance, and he hoped tho. Government would , recognise that nny help g ; ven by the people themselves' must assist the Administration towards tho bettor government of the country. Surely if tho pooplo were willing to'subBcribe. a certain amount it was in tho interests of tho Government to subsidise it. It was paift pf tho scheme that any surplus that resulted from the visit of Messrs. Davidgo and Reade should be devoted to tho assistanco of local branches of tho association. Tho Minister asked what additional authority or power was required ? Mr. C. M. Luke said that one of their objects was to educate the public taste and to endeavour to wipe out slums and Buch-like excrescences. Tho Minister said ho quite agreed With.that object; hut if they wanted an Aot of Parliament to dragoon municipalities as to the way in which they should deal with existing conditions they were making a proposition that ho could not agree with. He contended that tho municipalities already havo sufficient town-planning power uhdor the l'ubjic Works Act and. tho Land Act. Town-planning was a local matter and must be carried out in the light of local conditions. Mr. Luke said they also desired that in the formation of now townships they should avoid the mistakes of the past. The Minister reiterated that the present law is quite sufficient for that purpose. . ■ ■' ' Mr. Luko: Wβ want to educate tho peoplb up to that point. The Minister: Well, start on that basis. . . ■, . Mr. Atkins, speaking on the general subject, said the association was working purely in a spirit of sacrifice. There was no man associated with it who.was not willing to give assistance. Hβ thought the present provisions regarding roads under Public Works Act were absurd. There should bo a considerable distance between the houses, but the width of Toads should bo determined by the volume of traffic. Mr. Schwartz' spoke of what" is being tlone on tho Continent, and particularly in Germany, more especially in land which is opened up oil the outskirts of towns. The Minister expressed the opinion that where'land is lying outside of or close to the limits of a borough, tho power to determine how it should bo subdividqd should not be solely in'the hands of the Minister, but also in the hands of tho borough. But it was qnito unnecessary, to put into an Act powers which"are "already'•'in" existence.; , , jTlie matter was a local and riot , a "general one.