PLANNING NEW PLYMOUTH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 23, 17 June 1914, Page 4

PLANNING NEW PLYMOUTH.

MR. V. (.!. READE'S VIEWS. Mr. C. C. Reade, the organiser for the series of lectures on "Town Planning," which he is to conduct with Mr. Davidge in New Zealand, was not able, as ho intended, to leave for Wanganui by the mid-day train yesterday, but, instead, spent the day in New Plymouth, and last night had »onic interesting remarks to make, to a Daily News representative on his observations of New Plymouth.

ORIGINAL PLANS GOOD. "It is dillicnlt," he remarked, "to form any definite views from so short a visit, but, with the town clerk and the deputyMayor, I have been looking round the town, and have also dived into its early records, which are vcryi interesting. The original plan for New Plymouth reveals the fact that a good deal of forethought and care was expended by the early town-planners who were responsible for the laying-out of the site. Whilst they ran the roads four-square, overlooking often the contouT of the land, and though their methods are now obsolete, one cannot ignore the fact that men of vision and imagination were at work, and they endowed this town with a wealth of park lands and reserves to an extent which was unknown up to that i time in the history of any English town. I am speaking now, of course, of seventy or eighty years ago.

NOT ADHERED TO. "Unfortunately, however, the original glaa was never carried out. Had it been, New Plymouth to-day would have had a unique opportunity to become one ot the finest cities in the Dominion. For various reasons, many public lands were allowed to slip away from the control of the authorities, it was a revelation to me to see houses and bock yards built up on lands originally set aside by the surveyor, Mr. F. A. Carrington, for a town belt. EXCEPTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.

"Even so, however, there is no doubt that New Plymouth hats still exceptional opportunities for becoming one of the .finest watering places in the Dominion, if the public and those in authority become fully seized with the importance of modern town-planning. Nature has endowed New Plymouth most prolifleally with a richness of soil and a variety of configuration that offers endless opportunities to the landscape gardener for the creation of park-ways, and if the Government and the town authorities could act in conjunction it requires no great imagination to foresee a scheme of improvement which will enhance the value of the- water-front enormously.

THE WATEK-FRONT. "New Plymouth has a great chance in the development of her water-front in such a manner that it might become one of the most attractive in the Dominion. The Continental towns like Ostend derive their attraction largely from the magnificent efforts made in the direction of providing sea borders with a wealth of gardens, boulevards and places of recreation. From these alone they draw large numbers every year, so that money spent in the direction of making the water-front of the city beautiful in garden walks and promenades, and providing bathing facilities and refreshments, is one of the soundest ■investments the town could make. Such a course will add to its reputation for attraction, and draw linnually a crowd of visitors into its midst. MR. DAVIDGE'S VISIT.

"When Mr. Davidgc comes to New Plymouth on July 10," said Mr. Reade, "there is no doubt that after considering the local conditions and requirements ho will be able to shape a scheme of future development which the town can easily and with advantage follow.

NEED FOR PLANNING. "As towns grow, they become congested in parts, and repeat the old mistakes which have made such havoc in the older cities unless provision has been made tor their development on modern and scientific lincß, and whilst New Plymouth may not increase her population to any alarming extent for the next 25 or 30 years, it is just as probable that there will be a heavy increase. Thirty years ago no one foresaw "that many towns in Germany would by the present day have increased their population ten or twenty times over, but they have done so, nevertheless. NEW ZEALAND'S FUTURE.

"What New Zealanders must realise," Mr. Reade continue, "is that Great Britain and European countries are all overcrowding, and, despite the enormous congestion which already exists, the population is advancing by leaps and bounds. This overflow must be provided for. For some years Canada has been a general" dumping-ground, but she has been so exploited by land speculators, and the cost of living has advanced so much, that the drift is now setting towards Australasia. This fact alone suggests that in 25 years New Zealand and Australia will obtain a large increase in population, quite apart from the natural increase. The time is therefore ripe, especially: in prosperous towns like New Plymouth, to take time by the forelock and prepare for the future on reasonable and rational lines, instead of leaving matters to chance, and jeopardising their future development by disordered strectß and over-built land, carried on with no regard for public welfare but for private gain."

PUKKIvURA PARK,

Mr. Hcade Ims visited I'ukekura Park, which delighted him with its native ■beauty. "The work there," he said, "reflects great credit on the stall 1 , but 1 ■think there is room for some inmrove•ment in the creation of vistas. For instance, when one stands on the mound by the band rot inula, and looks over the lake, the only thing needed to complete the vista is a view of Ml. Kgmont. in this respect," he laughingly added, "the pictures post-<:od men have anticipated the landscape gardeners, who might well lake the hint."