TOWN-PLANNING

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 97, 18 January 1919, Page 7

TOWN-PLANNING

•'.'.■ (To the Editor.) ; ; ■■ ' " : ' Sir;—ln a • leading' article; in your paper this morning- dealing with this subject yon say: "Our centre's of population are remarkable for the examples they afford of wasted and neglected opportunities;'-also, that oh aii ; average our'cities and towns certainly cofnparo- badly by artistic and other sta'ndards with thn provincial centres of the United Kingdom." So far as Wellington is concerned, we need not. go to the Old Country, .as we do .not. compare at all with the., Australian cities, li.or do v,e compare favourably/ even with other New Zealand cities..'

Much has been written since .the epidemic about "slums" and about.-the "housing problem," but so' far' there, is no indication from either the Mayor or our' , councillors- that they have thought out a. consequently it would seem that unless 'something-'-'' is done we are in u fair way to: '.'drift" until, .the . important lessons' . recently provided .-are forgotten.-. ■• ; . .:■■-■■

My-suggestion is that lve should .at onco. evolve ;i forward policy-for this city. . Visitors tell,us that .the-natural beauties, of' our surroundings arc delightful, hut that.the-approaches to the -city proper are simply awful. .Uiifortuiiately this is only, too true. Why, then, should the city nob acquire tile balance of that area bordering ou both sides of :Adelaide lioad from'tlie Basin ' Reserve •to John Street on-the 6110 side, and .to.; tlw Hospital grounds oh the .other, side? - Here .tlwy could lay .out grounds in terrace, form, erecting suitable houses thereon; and so'/.transform this ugly -blot. ' The city already holds a good deal,of the frontage in the area, specified, and the rest, could be acquired 'under the I'ublio Works Act at a favourable price. ])ecause. at 110 time'has this property been in such a deplorable state as'at'present, while the rentals of the shops, as fiicb, arc practically at vanishing point. The grounds in'front of the Hospital,'if not already in the ■ control of' that body, could also be acquired l and 'per-, menently laid down in-gardens. ■ If such a policy of. beautifying-were, carried out, I,claim-that—(l) It-would immensely improve- the surroundings of! G.overnme'pt House. (2). It would pi;ovide beautiful houses.,in" such " close proxiriiity to' the city that tile rentals would form an .excellent sourco of .revenue in return , for tlie expenditure/ (3) It would at orjee clear out a real, slum area and substitute' a 'very beau-, tjful approach' to the city "' frbm all southern suburbs. ' '' , ■Then if the council w.ould also'direct .that its plantations in Cambridge. Terrace should- be brought ;up- to' dateold fences removed; ovorgrown.. cabbage trees that are an-eyesoro replaced with fresh ones, and kept so replaced, the grounds planted with "prolific .bloom.-' ing" flowers, and -the lawnn maintained as such instead of neglecting (except for'occasional cutting) and left to n;i-' turf—we should improve our city at very small cost tri the community, but in such a way that it would be a joy to ■ residents, to visitors, and to poster-, ity. ■ As members of the New Zealand Institute of Architects are now in session hero, would those who are really interested in town-planning and in the.beautifying of our cities look into the sug-; gestions, and reply : through your columns, whether this suggestion, is prac-' tical and for the real benefit of,-.our citv ?—I am, etc., . H. A. FOX,. ,