EARTHQUAKE DEBRIS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 44, 15 November 1937, Page 4

EARTHQUAKE DEBRIS

Used For Artistic Seats and Fences HASTINGS PLAN PRAISED The conversion of earthquake debris into artistic stone Gnasonry seating-ac-commodation and fences in the borpugh reserves greatly impressed Mr J. W. Mawson, town-planning adviser to the Department of Internal Affairs, during his visit last week to Hastings. So interested was Mr Mawson in this work that he has asked the council for a number of photographs with a view to writing an article on the work in an English periodicaL "Mr Mawson was greatly impressed with the wo»lt that is being done in our reserves, and particularly in the use which is being made of the earthquake debris to provide attractive and artistic seating accommodation and fences," said the Mayor, Mr G. A. Maddison, this morning, when reporting on Mr Mawson 's visit to Hastings on Saturday morning. "He asked that he be given a few photographs which he proposes to use with an article that he intends to send to a town-planning and architects' journal in England, showing what the people of Hastings have been doing with the debris." Mr Maddison said that Mr Mawson had made a general inspection of the developmental work that was being carried out in Hastings, and was enamoured with Windsor Park, ra,ting the motorists' camp in that reserve as one of the iinest and most beautiful in New Zealand. He contended that it would be a wonderful asset to the town and district. ( ( Mr Mawson expressed himself as satisfied that the Civic Square would be a valuable asset to Hastings, more particularly in the future" said Mr Maddison, ' ' He considered that it should be developed more as a place of rest, where people could go and enjoy themselves in the open, rather than as a place for public buildings. His idea was that there should be a number of trees planted in the Square and a certain amount of flower bedding with some attractive central feature." Mr Maddison added that Mr Mawson had confirmed the Borough Council 's opinion that, under the Town Planning Act, the council had the right to control the area surrounding the Civic SquaTe. The Borough Council 's powers were such that it could not only control the type of building to be erected, so as to see that it was in conformity with the remainder of the area, but it would also control the nature of the business, or purpose, to which it was proposed to put the building. "The proposal to have amfinding legislaiton passed to cnable Nelson Park to be developed as a central sports-ground in Hastings was endorsed by Mr Mawson," said Mr Maddison. He was in agreement with our ideas and the necessary steps are being taken now to achieve our objective."