THE TOWN PLANNERS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 164, 5 April 1919, Page 8

THE TOWN PLANNERS

AN INTERESTING REPORT Many points of intorcst to New Zealand people are discussed in a report on tho Brisbane Town-Planning Conferonce and its bearing on town-planning in the Dominion, prepared by Mr. i>. Hurst Seager. The conference was held last your and Mr. Hurst Seager was the Mew' Zealand delegate. His report, presented to tho Minister of Internal Affairs, is a very useful survey or town-■ nlanning theory and practice. It dis-. cusses many problems from tho point oi viow of this country. It is illustrated with many plans and photographs, ehowin" the wrong way and tho scionfaiio town-planner's way of designing villages, suburbs, and cities.- Iho plans show some of the efforts that have been made to evolve ideal housing conditions for tho people ' All town-planners, says Mr. Hurst beagcr, aro agreed that just as thero must bo a central authority having supervision over all tho State or Dominion townnlnniiiiig schemes, so there must bo a local controlling authority in each, centre who shall have- tho power to initiate and to carry out the schemes suggested. But although this is acceptod, thero oxi«ts a difference of opinion as to the constitution of this local authority. It was laid down by tho conference that, it was not advisable to confer upon,the individual council tho nbsoluto right to decided for itself upon town-planning schemes, irrespective of any adjoining council or other statutory authority, and also that the municipal or statutory authorities shall bo responsible for tho actual carrying-out of oil town-planning works. Mr. Hurst Seager holds tho view that it is not wiso to make town-plan-ning schemes dependent on tho sanction of tho ratepayers by direct voto. Tho apathy of ratepayers litis killed many promising municipal schemes, by allowing a minority lo block expenditure. Iho point is covered to some oxtont by a provision of the Hon. G. W. Russell s Town Planning Bill that the controlling authority may, proceed with the work provided that 10, per cent, of the ralehavers do not object. Mr. Hurst Seager makes an attempt to define the objects of tho town-planners. "To the civil engineer and tho municipal engineer," he says, "it appeals as n mean; of providing economical and efficient water supply, surfaco and sewer drainage, and other services for a. whole district, without being hampered with the consideration of county, borough, or municipal boundaries. Enlightened municipal and borough councils and their health officers look to it for increased power to transform slums into healthful residential or business areas, and to obtain a greater measure of control over all activities carried-on within their boundaries. To the architect it means a method of obtaining a. convenient and artistic arrangement of streets in conjunction with open spaces, nod restrictions as to the character of buildings in-any neighbourhood, in order that their works may be seen to the greatest advantage—free from disfiguring environments and placards to 'bo found in all modern cities. "Philanthropists look to town-planning measures to securo for the working classes better conditions of life during both the hours of work and leisure—healthful and convenient homes in attractive surroundings playing ground; for you,ng children in' all residential districts, gardens as place-; of rest near nil places of work, and heallhv entertainment and recreation for all classes of society. To tho general public I fear it means nothing. In spite of the many ' lectures which have been given, papers and books which have been published: there is still an overwhelming majority of peopje—and uia.Mv among them holding positions on beards and councils—who have no conception of the power for good which lies in a Town-planning Act. And those who have a vague notion of its value as. a whole fail to apply its principles to any work I hey may havo in hand."