"A GARDEN COUNTRY"

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 202, 21 May 1919, Page 10

"A GARDEN COUNTRY"

POSSIBILITIES IN NEW

ZEALAND

SUGGESTIONS BY HON. A. M. MYERS

The Hon; A. M. Myers, Acting-Minis-ter of Finance, rend a, paper on "The History unci Justification of Town-phui-ning in New Zealand" at the Town-plan-ning Conference. Referring to the financial aspect, Mr. Myers said he had no douhl tho recommendations of (lie conference would be practical, and the delegates could be assured tVat the necessary money would be forthcoming, whatever Oovcrnnicnt might occupy the Treasury benches.

Mr. Myers proceeded to sketch (he past history of town-planning in New Zealand., to. indicate the benefits that would hs. produced by improved methods, and to stress the importance of town-planning :is a pari: of the work of reconstruction that must follow the close of the war. Now Zealand had lagged behind in this matter. It had allowed its towns and cities to grow in haphazard fashion, without adequate regard to Hie health, convenience, and happinca; of the people. Tt would cost little'more to start on right lines than on wrong lines, but the ultimate effect would be enormously important. The men who had founded the New Zealand cities had not neglected tho future, said Mr. Myers. 'I'hev had shown great forethought in Wellington, for exexample, where the Town Belt was a splendid heritage of the community. But later Renovations lind not shown the same, regard for the people who would come after them. Yet it was clpar that the nation which had healthy and happy homes was going to attain higher ideals of social progress than the nation' which tolerated slums and ugliness. The foundations of national glory, as King George had said, were laid in the homes of Hie people. The conservation of human resources, the preservation of the health "and well-being of the people, were the prime, factors in national greatness. Now Zealand had exceptional opportunities of creating towns and cities of ideal beauty and utility.'-,but it ha-d not yet taken much advantage of these opportunities. _ He hoped that in tho futuro the Dominion was going to develop resi. dehtinl and manufacturing a,reas of which it would be proud. Mr. Myers quoted figures to show tha reduction in tho death-rate and the increase in health brought about in the garden cities of the Motherland. Fresh air and sunshine, open-air exercise and sanitary, pleasant surroundings ought to be the birthright of every child. The failure to secure these things for all tho had brought about the physical conditions that caused the rejection of ten= of thousands of men as unfit for military service.

"We shall succeed or fail-in the tasks ahead of us in tho measure in' which we as a nation and as individuals realise, our responsibilities in tho direction of using our best efforts towards the full development of the abundant resources of our country," said Air. Myers. "The increase of production Ms the principal factor essential to the material prosperity of the Dominion, , and one of tho first duties of the country should bo to ensure that the housing, transportation, and industrial conditions are such as to render possible a strong, fit race of mon and women competent to shoulder tho heavy financial 'burden left to us as n legacy of the war." Tho men who had died had left ns a legacy to their race the inalienable right to live and work under the best possible conditions, nnd -this fact ought to be realised by Now Zealand in the days of reconstruction. Ho honed that the conference was going to helo to place New Zealand, in tho van of town-planning progress and make it in the years to como a garden country.