Aesthetic Development

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 884, 30 January 1930, Page 10

Aesthetic Development

Object of Town-Planning N.Z. INSTITUTE FORMED (By J. W. MAW SON, Director of Town Planning.) TLLD immense strides made bv New Zealand in townplanning in recent years is strikingly illustrated by the announcement of the formation of a Town-Planning Institute for the Dominion on similar lines to those already established in England, Canada and the United States of America.

Tile inaugural meeting is to be field iu the Dominion Farmers' Building, Wellington, on February 27, when the chair will be taken and an address delivered by the Hon. P. A. de la Perr.elle, Minister of Internal Affairs and chairman of the Town Planning Board. According to the printed constitution and rules, the institute has been formed with the following objects: To advance the study of town planning and kindred subjects and of arts and sciences, as applied to those subjects; to promote the aesthetic and scientific development of cities, boroughs, towns and suburbs, and other building land; to promote the association and general interests of persons engaged or interested in the practice of town planning; to establish and maintain or to promote the establishment and maintenance of adequate professional standards (theoretical, practical and ethical) among persons engaged in the practice of town planning; to undertake and promote the teaching of subjects relating to town planning; to form and maintain a library and collection of books, papers, maps, drawings, designs and other writings and objects connected with town planning; to issue or promote or assist in the issue of books, pamphlets, periodicals and other documents relating to town planning. Perhaps the most interesting feature about the new institute is that it has been formed through the cooperation of the three established professional bodies most intimately concerned with the constructive side of town planning, namely, the Institute of Architects, the Institute of Surveyors and the Society of Civil Engineers, and nothing could have been conceived which would inspire greater public confidence in the value of the services which the institute will be able to render to the community, or give a better idea of the scope of its activities and the breadth of the basis on which town planning as a profession stands, than the implied

admission on the part of these professional bodies that the practice of town planning calls for something more than a specialised knowledge in architecture, surveying or civil engineering. Another point wortli3 r of special comment is that corporate membership is not to be confined to professional members only, but is open to any person interested in the principles and practice of town planning. The wisdom of this step is selfevident, for however valuable the services which can be rendered by those who possess technical knowledge of the subject, town planning, rightly understood, is a job for the whole community. The keynote of the work of the new institute will be education, not only in its academic sense, but by the regular dissemination of information on town planning matters throughout the country. To this end it is intended to establish in Wellington a library and reading-room, and to publish a Regular monthly journal which will be sent free to all subscribing members and sold to the general public through the bookselling agencies.

Those who are familiar with the work of the English Institute and the status and prestige it enjoys in national and municipal affairs, will be able to appreciate the great possibilities of the New Zealand Institute as an instrument for the education and organisation of public opinion, and as a driving force in all matters relating to the improvement of the living and working conditions of the people of this country. The headquarters of the institute, will be in Wellington, but provision has been made for the establishment of local branches in the principal centres, and it is hoped that the numerous local town planning associations, beautifying and amenities societies, will see the wisdom of becoming affiliated with or merging their identity with these local branches and the parent institution.