A New Zealander’s Ideals.

Progress, Volume XVI, Issue 5, 1 January 1921, Page 105

A New Zealander’s Ideals.

Reply to “Progress Criticism. Offices of the New Zealand Government, 415, Strand, London, W-C.2, September 20th, 1920. TO THE EDITOR. Dear Sir, —In your June issue you publish a leading article under the title of “ A New Zealander’s Ideals.” This was evidently based on cabled news of which I have no knowledge. While thanking you for your continued kindly interest in the townplanning movement, might I suggest that it would perhaps have been better to have awaited the receipt of the full account of the Conference, which Sir Thomas Mackenzie forwarded to the Government, and which was also forwarded to “ The Evening Post,” as well as to other New Zealand papers. I forward you herewith an extract from that report referring to the motion I brought before the Conference, by which you will see that your article was written on insufficient information. I trust you will do me the justice of publishing this extract, for I have always held firmly to the view that townplanning and “ good business ” should be synonymous terms, and that anything in the nature of a “ fad ” should find no place in town-planning schemes. Although the Conference was held in London it was not considering London’s problems, nor the problem of “ crowded centres.” It was

considering what should be done to create ideal conditions of life in the towns and cities of the future—the towns which are now being formed in country districts, where the town-planner has a perfectly free hand to carry out his ideals on virgin soil—large unoccupied areas: the conditions, in fact, under which town-planning can be carried out in New Zealand. For instance, at Welwyn—only 21 miles from London—a beautiful estate has been purchased for the surprisingly small sum of £4O an acre. It is nearly four square miles in extent, of good soil under cultivation, having many plantations of excellent timber—mostly oak, and included in the purchase are several farm houses. You will see from the report that the venerable father of garden city development. Mr. Ebenezer Howard, thought my warning timely, and that at Welwyn certainly some space should be opened for children’s playgrounds and places of rest.

Yours faithfully,

S. HURST SEAGER

The report shows that the subject of the session was town-planning, and the official resolution was submitted by Mr. Thompson (Dundee), the presi-dent-elect of the Municipal and County Engineers’ Institution, as follows:

NATIONAL AND REGIONAL TOWN AND RURAL PLANNING DEVELOPMENTS. “ That this Congress is convinced of the importance of exercising wise governmental control and guidance with regard to town-planning both regional and local.

“ Further, this Congress desires to place on record its recognition of the importance of the following principles:

(a) That in order to secure adequate provision of air and light in and around the homes of the people there should be definite limitation of the number of dwellings per hectare, and for space adjacent to dwellings, such limitation being a matter of Governmental • determination in each country.

(b) That the policy of decentralisation of industries and the building of new garden cities should be encouraged by legislative provisions and by all other means, both public and private.

(c) That each Government, acting in partnership with local authorities, should prepare in advance and carry into effect a regional survey, followed by planning schemes, \ a view to putting an end to wasteful and chaotic developments and securing that the lines of future growth shall be well ordered and scientific.

(d) That in view of the acknowledged necessity of such action, the Government should, acting in co-operation with local authorities, control the direction and assist in the upkeep of main and arterial roads.

“ This Congress is also of opinion that the necessary legislative measures should be taken in order to provide cheap land for housing purposes.

Mr. Hurst Seager moved that an additional clause should be added asking that in all garden suburbs and garden cities there should be provided properly

equipped children’s playgrounds and proper shopping centres within easy distance of all residences and that spaces well planted should be provided as places of rest in all factory areas. “ I moved this,” he explained, “ because proper attention has not been devoted to this extremely important feature, which I regard, and which is regarded by many, as fundamental in all town-planning schemes. On looking through hundreds of lay-outs for garden suburbs I found that in many cases, among the thousands of houses which were being erected, there was very rarely provided either a shopping centre or children’s playground, while in the factory areas of the Garden City at Letchworth there is no space set aside where the operatives can rest before or after work or during meal-times. ' I found tnat the factory area was likely to become congested and sordid and in no way calculated to cheer the operatives in their work.

It will be noticed in the copy of the “ Times ’ of the sth that the resolution was lost by 8 votes. This was not because the overwhelming majority of delegates did not agree with it, but all those who had been responsible for framing resolutions dia not want anything added for fear of overloading them, while others thought it was a matter of detail which town-planners would naturally provide. When this was expressed by one of the speakers several at once protested that while they lived in garden suburbs such necessary reatures had not been provided.

Mr. Ebenezer Howard spoke in support of my motion and wrote me afterwards the following letter:

“ I am glad that you brought the important matters of children’s playgrounds and shops, other than those in the central' part of the town, before the attention of the Inter-Allied

Congress. At Welwyn we certainly ought to move in this direction.”

Welwyn, it should be noted, is the second garden city now being formed to the North of London, not far from the first garden city of Letchworth. Several other delegates expressed their satisfaction that attention had been drawn to this important matter.

Lord Astor, in acknowledging the receipt of the transactions of the New Zealand Lirst Town-Plan-ning Conference, said:

“ I note the importance that you attach to the provision in town-planning schemes of convenient playgrounds, shopping centres, and of planted open spaces in the midst of factory areas and agree that they are matters worthy of the most careful consideration and

attention,”

Mr. Alridge, the Secretary of the National Housing and Town-Planning Council, wrote to me, saying that:

“ I ought not to refrain from writing to you regard to the amendment you brought forward at the recent Inter-Allied Conference,

making clear the reason why many ardent town-planners thought that they should support the resolutions as against the amendment. The reason was quite simple and, I believe, thoroughly sound, viz.: that we wisn the words town-planning should be definitely and clearly understood to cover the amenities for winch you plead. I most earnestly hope that it will not be felt for a single moment that we were out of sympathy with your appeal.”

THE BRISTOL HOUSING SCHEMES.

In illustration of what I have said about the provision of small playing grounds and shopping centres, I may note that this place, although they are accomodating such a large number of houses, makes no provision either for the one or the other. There are in each, it is true, a large recreation ground and village greens, but no small vacant space is left for the playgrounds in the centre of each block. On this housing estate, although it is providing for nearly 1,600 houses and assuming an average of only two children per house, we should have 3,200 children, and yet there is only one small space set aside as a playground at one end of the estate. There should, on an estate of this kind, at least be about 20 small playgrounds spread evenly over the estate, and as many small shopping stores or centres. These, two schemes and all the other schemes being arranged by the Bristol Council, have, unfortunately, no relation to industry. There is not in any of them any provision for carrying on home or small industries in relation to agriculture which must be the basis of any solution of the industrial troubles.

It is true that this Sea Mills Estate is only about three miles from the docks where a large amount of labour will be annually employed, but in addition to the labour of one kind there should be provision for all the varied industries which are necessary to make up a complete social and industrial city life.

[We are glad to notice from the extended report furnished by Mr. Hurst Seager that he was misrepresented by the cabled summary of the InterAllied Housing Conference. Our criticism was based on the assumption—obvious enough from the cable, but not supported by the fuller detail now available —that in his enthusiasm for good planning Mr. Hurst Seager had counselled something so ideal and impracticable that the movement was more likely to be further prejudiced than benefited by the old sneer of “ faddism.” It is clear that the New jZealander was dealing with planning of virgin areas, and not re-planning of old settled districts. However, we think that no harm can be done by constantly reiterating that town-planning is essentially a good business proposition, which will save local bodies many millions in this country if they take the trouble to follow its precepts.—Editor, “ N.Z. Building Progress.”]