D—3

intentions it is scarcely possible for any urban or extra-urban authority to plan its own works with any degree of security at all. Evidence of this can be obtained by a consideration of the position throughout the country, particularly in Auckland and Wellington. As regards privately-financed works, the information gathered by the Ministry of Works has revealed the private owner of a business or industry to be at a great disadvantage. If a business man or industrialist contemplates extensions to his works, or the establishment of new works, he requires advance information as to the proposals of the Government and of local bodies in so far as they affect such things as the future location of roads, railways, harbours, aerodromes, transport services, water-supply, and other public utilities, &e. Up to the present time he has had largely to fend for himself and has proceeded somewhat in the dark. Coming now to rural interests, it is reasonable to take the view that landholders, who are concerned with the most efficient utilization of their holdings, should know what proposals the Government contemplates in the way of river control and protection and soil conservation generally over the area in which their holdings are situated, even if these proposals are long-term and capable only of gradual implementation. Similarly, there is no reason why rural authorities should not know the Government's intentions in regard to land-development works, such as swamp drainage, irrigation, clearing, and afforestation, which are of the greatest regional significance and when carried out will affect the economy of the rural areas which local authorities are called, upon to administer. So far as housing is concerned, matters which cause some concern are—(a) The validity of the applications on which the demand for State -houses is based: (b) The extensive building of houses contiguous to the two largest metropolitan areas of Auckland and Wellington: (c) The number being built in the North Island in relation to the number in the South Island. A separate report will be made to the Government when the independent survey referred, to earlier has been completed, but on the information which is available, it does appear that a stage in the development of the Dominion has been reached when very positive steps should be taken to arrest the drift from the South Island) to the North Island and to prevent the larger cities from becoming larger still at the expense of the secondary towns and at the sacrifice also of better living and working conditions which can be obtained more easily in the provincial centres. The almost uncontrolled drift of population from the South Island to the North Island, and the equally uncontrolled drift towards the two larger centres in the North Island, are having a profound effect on the geographical distribution of the demand for works and buildings. To conclude this particular section, it might be said that the analysis reveals a very grave need for forward: and co-ordinated planning, both nationally and regionally, throughout New Zealand. It might be argued that, despite this, the development of New Zealand has in the past gone forward without any very disastrous results. This is, of course, true, but only in some respects; on the contrary, evidence is not lacking in many parts of New Zealand in the form of urban overcrowding, ribbon development, misplaced industry, and abandoned works, that much waste from a

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