“Prepare for the Million City”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 166, 4 October 1927, Page 9

“Prepare for the Million City”

SYDNEY ARCHITECT’S ADVICE “Prepare for the million city!” was the gist of the lecture given by Mr. G. S. Keesing, architect, and member of the council of the Sydney Town Planning Association, at the University College last night. THE speaker urged Aucklanders to benefit by the mistakes made ri Sydney, and to meet the future growth of the city with united action. Introducing th? speaker, Mr. AY. J. Holdsworth, president of the Auckland Town Planning Association, sail that the association had clone much to combat the proposal to commercialise Hobson Bay. NO GREAT DIFFICULTY “When Sydney was the size of Auckland, the idea that it would grow past the million mark was regarded as absurd.” said Mr. Keesing. The proper planning of Aucklan i offered no insuperable difficulties. The main arterial streets were conveniently laid out, and ‘he few defects could be remedied without much trouble. Auckland was much better off than those cities which had been laid out with streets at right angles, compelling diagonal traffic to follow-zig-zag routes. Seperate plans made by the local bodies would be a disadvantage. It had been calculated that the loss due to stoppages of vehicles and pedestrians, at a single American crossing no busier than that at Grafton Bridge, was £3.000 a year. This sum was sufficient to meet interest charges on £50,000 for a permanent remedy Auckland had few “bottle-necks'’ and awkward intersections, but that was only an added reason for obtaining the best possible plan for the city. LAND RESUMING The city should take possession of properties needed for future street improvements. Many cities to-day w ore staggering under loads of debt incurred in resuming land which should have been obtained 3u years ago. Sydney was being put to enormous trouble and expense in obtaining land for urgent civic improvements, because the necessary steps were not taken when the city was comparatively small. The possibility of a bridge over the Waitemata, and a canal from the Waikato River, had an important bearing on the growth of Auckland, and should be provided for in the general plan. Mr. Keesing illustrated his remarks with a number of Ifmtern slides, ler.t by Professor Knight.