King Country Chronicle Saturday, March 16th, 1912. TOWN PLANNING.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 448, 16 March 1912, Page 4

King Country Chronicle Saturday, March 16th, 1912. TOWN PLANNING.

A highly important step is foreshadowed by tho propoaal now before the Tc> Kuiti Borough Council to fax minimum building areas in the town run! suburbs. Scientific discovery, .ui<] the bard experience of older phu'r:? have shown the imperative no-.<ssity for municipal action in the matter of town planning, and it is a tribute to the progressive spirit of our people that the proposal is meeting with widespread approval. The ;u'<-i'pt:»ncu of all wisely planned

(homes in the interests of the general public is taken as a matter Of course.* Kxperieneo teaches us, however, that wben theory reaches the stage of local implication its beautieß are apt to become dimmed to those who are financia'ly affected thereby. Every innovnlion in a public sense, by reason of its central application, is bound to ("hii-c a measure of hardship in individual canes. Where land ownership is concerned the hardship chiefly concern:- the financial aspect as it affects the individual. Thus we have it that each individual, while cordially agreeinjr with (lie theory, is vigorously concerned in having the theory applied in such a manner that hardship will not ensue in hi« own particular case.' Obviously, this very natural characteristic of the individual has to be carefully considered by those responsible for the introdcution of any public reform, and to this point of consideration the Te Kuiti Borough Council has just arrived. Notwithstanding that the town is still in its early youth, vested interests have been created, and people may have invested capital and framed projects for the future which will clash eventually with the application of the proposed by-law. While holding the view that the proposals already published are by no means oppressive, we are of opinion that full inWStigation should be made before enacting any arbitrary law. For undoubtedly the law should be made arbitrary. Tho suggestion that power should remain with the Council to relieve owners from compliance with the law in certain cases is fraught with extreme danger, and it will probably be found better to combat any discontent which may arise in the present by making the law arbitrary, than to be faced with the continually recuring discontent which will inevitably follow if the Council retainß discretionary power in the matter. Briefly the position is that the public welfaro demands that these or similar proposals shall be enacted. Being a public movement to be applied in the aggregate it is inevitable that cases of hardship or disappointment will occur. .Individual interests mUBt ever give way to tho interests of the general public, the only alleviation to thiß being that tho least possible hardship is created in the effort to confer the greatest measure of benefit upon the greatest possible number. Our City Fathers are keenly alive to the position, and the public can rest assured that the proposals will have the deepest consideration, and that in bringing them into force the best interests of tho community will be conserved. The fact that the proposals have been made indicate that our Councillors are imbued with a keen sense of their public responsibility. If the ,publie are similarly imbued, a golden-♦oppor-tunity to assist in making the proposals as nearly perfect as possible, according to local conditions, is before them. Jn all cases of the kind, however, the chief thing to get rid of is the individual aspect of the question, unless such aspect indicates flagrant or undue hardship. Still, it is extremely improbable that Buch cases will be overlooked by those empowered to deal with the question. In any case public expression of opinion is a desirable thing, and it is to be hoped, in view of the importance of the question, the public will be inspired to express an opiniqn on the ' Hiibjcct.