The Daily News. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1914. TOWN-PLANNING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 200, 21 February 1914, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1914. TOWN-PLANNING.

Many people to-day are taking a kce:>. interest in the work of town-planning, witii the result that organisations are being formed in numerous centres to pi'omotc the picturesque and healthy extension or towns and cities. There are, unfortunately, only too many instances of where lack of proper, systematic planning has left towns with narrow and inconvenient streets, unsightly architecture and entire, absence of possibility of bcautification. This should not lie so. It was easy enough bv looking ahead a little to so plan extensions of a town that it will ensure the maximum benefit from the health standpoint, and at the same time provide facilities for beautifying. Fortunately for ns, N'cw Plymouth lends itself admirably to improvement, and much of the natural pictnresqucness has been retained, but some other towns are not so fortunate, and much money has had to be expended to achieve anything like even moderate results. While few of the Xew Zealand towns have slum areas there can be no doubt whatever that semi-slums exist, and it can only be a question of time before they begin to assume their degrading characteristics if care is not taken. The abnormally high price of land has induced investors to build upon sections altogether too small in area, and wherever possible proper road construction in subdivisions has been dodged. Land has been cut up to suit the individual, and not the community. The crowding of houses upon small sections has also encouraged a most depressing kind of architecture, and many a housewife has no room even to dry her washing, let alone keep a garden or playground for children. .Many of these disadvantages could be oversome if the people were educated uji to the work of town-planning. There is no reason why almost every street in a town should not be made pleasant to look upon. There is no reason why-by-laws should not prohibit the crowding of houses upon unreasonably small sections, and, equally so, there is no reason why advantage should not be taken of every natural beauty which may be developed. Vacant spaces can be planted and the roadsides and parka ornamented with trees, shrubs and flowers. Everything which tends to make a town beautiful tends also to make it a good plate to live in. If people are attracted to a town it is good for business, and the benefit of the profitable work is distributed all round. The "Harden Cities and Town-planning Association" is sending round an expert, and his lectures will be free, except for actual expenses. He will illustrate what has been done 'in other places and advise the communities he visits as to the best steps to take in prosecuting future work. The matter has been placed before the Xew Plymouth liorough Council, and it is to be sincerely hoped the movement will meet with encouragement.