Town Planning Conference, 1919.

Progress, Volume XIV, Issue 10, 1 June 1919, Page 523

Town Planning Conference, 1919.

COMPETITION HOMES.

WANNINGCONFERENCE CQWV'UWWOH

WORKERS HOMES

the Hon. G. W. Russell, "and I shall bring up the question of the appointment of a town planner at an early date without waiting for Parliament, knowing full well that Cabinet can, out of the unauthorised vote, agree to appoint a man, and Parliament will, of course, ratify whatever action will be taken. The housing problem and other matters will also be brought before the full Cabinet for its decision at the earliest possible date."

The Housing Problem.

Million Subsidy Suggested.

Next in importance came the Housing Committee's report. The Committee which had dealt with

legislation generally, had recommended the introduction of a Town Planning and Housing Bill, and that housing should be specifically included as part of the work of the central and- local Town Planning and Housing Boards.

The following report was presented by the Housing Committee, of which the Hon. J. T. Paul was chairman : —

(1.) The committee reports that there is ample evidence that a pronounced shortage of houses, numbering many thousands, exists throughout the Dominion.

, (2.) That many of the existing houses arc not up to a standard of civilised comfort, a fact which intensities the acuteness of the problem.

(3.) We recommend that the Government recognise the housing shortage as one of pressing national necessity, and that the Government co-operate with the local authorities in carrying out housing schemes on town planning lines that the State undertake to finance the schemes, while leaving a reasonable degree of initiative and subsequent full control in the hands of the municipalities.

(4.) That the Government subsidise local bodies up to one-third of the cost of approved building schemes.

(5.) That the Government be recommended to at once set aside the sum of £1,000,000 as a subsidy to carry out the above resolution.

(6.) That the Government be earnestly requested to undertake, the building of a Garden City on the lines laid down by Mr S. Hurst Seager in his paper. We are of opinion that the housing problem can be materially assisted in this way; that the prosperity of the country will be increased; and the comfort and happiness of the workers secured.

(7.) That the Government should restore the prewar railway service as early as possible.

This report was adopted after a somewhat lively discussion in which a number of Labour members criticised the failure of. the Government to do effective work on this problem in past years.

Power Over Sub-divisions.

Reservation for Public Use.

A committee set up to consider the improvement of towns and cities and to consider reserves, parks, and domains, reported that its reference was -jo wide that it had been unable to discuss details. The Committee recommended to the Conference a resolution urging that on the passing of the Town Planning Act it should be made compulsory, when any area exceeding five acres was sub-divided, for the owner to make over to the local body 10 per cent, at least of the total saleable area to be sub-divided.

The report was adopted.

Arts, Sciences and Crafts.

The committee appointed to consider Town Planning as it Affects the Arts, the Sciences, and the Crafts," presented a report comprising the following recommendations—

That the Education Department be urged to institute in the "School'Journal" a series of elementary illustrated articles upon the subject of town planning; that whatever was available of the present town planning exhibition be shown in various towns of the Dominion, when applied for, and that the Government bear the cost.

The Committee affirmed the principles laid down by Mr W. H. Montgomery in discussing the erection of memorials to our soldiers.

The report was adopted.

The Women's Interest.

The Committee of women delegates set up to consider "Town planning as it Affects the Woman, the Child, and the Home," congratulated the Minister of Internal Affairs upon having arranged the Conference. The Committee was thoroughly in accord with the aims of the town planning movement, and hoped that practical town planning legislation would be placed.on the Statute Book during the coming session of Parliament. It urged the Minister to see to the adequate representation of women on

all bodies specially set up to deal with town planning. It was of opinion that as the Conference was dealing with the broad question of town planning it would be premature and ill-advised to enter into details in respect of the needs of women and children in particular. The Committee asked, however, that it be not disbanded, and that when required it consider specific matters under its original reference. It also asked that the Government arrange for a conference of women, with the Committee as a nucleus, to consider in detail the matters that the Committee had been set up to consider.

The report was adopted.

The Scholastic Aspect.

A committee report was adopted, in which the following recommendations were madeLarp areas for school sites and playing fields in all sparsely settled parts of the Dominion; all existing school sites should be so enlarged as to have adequate playing areas and garden spaces; steps should be taken to exhibit to the school children of the Dominion lantern slides descriptive of town planning schemes; that in all reserves in urban areas special sites for children under school age should

be allocated; school playgrounds should be available, under proper supervision, for the children of the neighbourhood at all times; greater attention should be paid to the study of school architecture; the removal of ugly fences; and that the Conference should recommend to the University Senate that town planning be added to the curriculum.

National Utilities and Services.

The Committee upon "Town planning as it Affects National Utilities and Services," recommended close co-operation between Government Departments particularly the Departments of Lands, Pub-

lie Works, Railways, and Post and Telegraph, and the Town Planning and Housing Department.* Where the Departments were carrying out public works they should observe the town-planning and housing by-laws, and when proposing to carry out works should give, the local body concerned an opportunity of seeing the plan, etc., so that any objections might be considered by the Town Planning and Housing Board. The Committee found fault with the Post and Telegraph Department for providing unsightly posts to carry its wires down streets that had been tree-planted and grass-plotted for beautification. It recommended that the Town Planning Board must approve of all sub-divisions under the Land Transfer Act before the Registrar registered the title; and that catchment areas in all cases should be purchased or reserved in any part likely to become a centre of population.

Town Planning Finance.

The Hon. George Fowlds presented the report of a committee that had been appointed to consider the financial aspect of the town planning problem. The Committee had been asked to discuss what ought to be the respective responsibilities of the Dominion Government and the local authorities for expenditure required to carry out schemes proposed in and arising from the Town Planning Bill.,

Mr Fowlds said that the Committee had to make the following recommendations: the total cost of the Town Planning Department, including the salary of the expert, should be paid by the Government; that the cost of carrying out local schemes should be borne by the districts affected, but that the money required should be provided by the Dominion Government at the lowest possible rate of interest, the local bodies being called upon to pay only interest and sinking fund; that provision should be made for assisting out of the Consolidated Fund smaller local authorities in special circumstances.

The above recommendations did not meet with much opposition. The following one, however, did: "That clause 24, sub-section 2d of the Town Plan-' ning Bill be amended to provide for the assessment of all rate's required for the payment of interest and sinking fund on the cost of town planning schemes on the unimproved value of the land." This proposal was hotly debated, delegates differing widely on the merits of the unimproved value system of rating. By a two to one majority the Conference rejected this recommendation.

The Exhibition.

We outlined the main feature of the exhibition in our last issue. It is now only necessary to add that the delegates' and many thousands of i the general public (who were admitted free) derived much educational advantage from the fine collection of plans, photographs, drawings, maps and posters. A particularly pleasing feature was the attendance of the .school children of the higher standards, who were escorted around the exhibition by their teachers.

Lantern and kinematograph views illustrative of many, aspects of town planning and housing were shown in the Conference hall each evening, the public being admitted free. Orchestral music was provided and this part of the exhibition was extremely popular with the public.

Every afternoon during the Conference there was a short adjournment for afternoon tea, which was served by a large committee of ladies who are members of the "Wellington Branch of the Women's National Reserve.

Results of the Competitions

The poor numerical response to the Government's offer of prizes for competitive, designs, drawings, and photographs resulted in this section of the exhibition being so small as to be almost overlooked by the average visitor. Some very meritorious exhibits were, however, submitted, the only regret being that they were not more numerous. ' The results were as follows:—

For a Garden —The outline of a scheme for a garden city containing 1000 homes, and it may be assumed that the population would be about 4000 persons. ' •

No entry.

Garden' Suburb —Of 100 houses, for an estimated population of 400 persons. The suburb will be on level land and within • easy distance of a city, so that all civic services will be , supplied from the city or will be extended in connection with it.

Silver medalH. G. Helmore, Christchurch. Bronze medal— A. Sleigh, Christchurch.

A Civic Improvement this competition it was desired to give architects and others an opportunity of showing what can be done in improving any part of their town —either by rearrangement of portions of streets or by taking off inconvenient angles —by taking down old buildings which should be removed, and suggestions for the erection of business premises in their place by the convenient, and therefore economical, placing of factories and warehouses, by more convenient setting-out of tram routes, and by any other schemes.

Diploma—H. B. Hammond, North Auckland.

Workers' Homes —The competitions Nos. 1 and 2 are for general schemes and the placing of houses upon sites selected. In this competition it was desired to express in detail the competitor's idea of what those homes should be. It was desired to evolve an original conception in which the health and comfort of the worker is secured with. the least possible expenditure. ' The competition was for three classes as follows:—(a.) Bedroom, livingroom, kitchenette, lounge, bath-room, and lavatory, (b.) Two bedrooms, living-room, kitchenette, lounge, bath-room, and lavatory, (c.) Three bedrooms, liv-ing-room, kitchenette, lounge, bath-room, and lavatory. " '.'>

Class A:Silver medal— and Reece, Christchurch; diploma, W. M. Page, Wellington.

Class Silver medal—Hart and'" Reece, Christchurch.

Class C:—Silver medal— G. Ford, Waganui; bronze medal —Hart and Reece; diploma — W. itt. Page.

The judges (Messrs W. Gray Young and Basil Hooper) made the following note: "We regret that a number of competitors did not give more consideration to the question of maintenance when deciding on what materials the cottages were to be built of, and thus lost points in marking."

Photographic Studies The best photographs showing city disfigurements, and, side uv- suit- i them, either existing examples of city beautyin the same town if possible or else to wipe out the disfigurements in. the photograph jmkl exhibit one showing how much the spot could be improved if treated as suggested.

old medal J. Johnson, Wellington; bronze medal G. J. Startup, Wellington.

Posters—Posters were required of a similar type to those which were issued as war posters, with the object of setting forth clearly the objects of the exhibition as stated in the prospectus. The size of the poster was 30in. hgh by 19-2-in. wide, and should bear the words, easily distinguished: "Town Planning Conference and Exhibition, to be held in the Town Hall, Wellington, 20th May to 24th May." ' -

Gold Medal—H. S. Cotterell, Napier; silver medal —John Mclndoe, Dunedin. .

Collection of lantern slides:—Gold medal—H. S. Cotterell.