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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1948 THE DAILY TIMES-GAZETTE - PAGE TWENTY-ONE "Exhibition Makes History In Town And Planning By S. GORDON COLLER 'An exhibition which 'makes his- tory in the town and country plan- * 'ning movement, because more than 30 interested organizations have joined forces to display their sub- ject, was opened in London recent- and Country Planning, Lewis Silkin. Mr. Silkin pointed out that democ- racy would be unreal in this field until the people at large were edu- cated to understand and pass criti- cal judgment on modern planning developments. Essential as it is { . that the central Government - and a Se local authorities should be satisfied, he added, it is clearly more essen- tial that the public, whose rights might suffer, should be satisfied that this sacrifice is in the inter- ests of the country as a whole. Since this was spoken, the people * of Britain have been plunged into just such a discussion as the Minis- ter had in mind. For the Ministry has circulated to 72 local author- ities in central Britain a document containing three-quarters of a mil- lion words in five volumes so bulky that they could not be printed in time and had to be duplicated as a first step. The authors of this im- mense work are Professor Sir Pat- rick Abercrombie, author of the his- toric plan for the development of Greater London and probably the greatest town planning expert liv- ing, Mr. Herbert Jackson and oth- ers. Their subject is the control of development in the West Midlands, an area of 2,400 square miles con- taining a population of roughly 3,- 400,000 today. In the heart of this area stretching northwest from Birmingham, lies a cluster of towns merging one into another which are known everywhere as the "Black County"; to the town planners they form a "conurbation", a continuous built-up area including and con- necting several towns which have succeeded in retaining their iden- tity. Two hundred and fifty years ago this was the cradle of the In- dustrial Revolution. Here, among some of the richest coalfields in the world, Bessemer furnaces produced the first steel. Of the great area surveyed in the Report, the Black Country occupies only 270 square miles, yet it houses over 2,000,000 people--60 per cent of the popula- tion of the West Midlands as a whole. That is the silhouette of the Black Country and its problem, which is thrown into sharp relief by the broad White Paper of Sir Pat- rick Abercrombie's plan. Set against the pioneer history of town planning in Britain, the West Midlands plan is in many respects provocatively unorthodox. Until now, town planning schemes in Bri- tain have been inspired largely by the ideals of Sir Ebenezer Howard, author (just 50 years ago) of a book called "Garden Cities of Tomorrow". Before he died 30 years later, How- ard had bequeathed to Britain two towns--Letchworth Garden City, founded in:1904 and Welwyn Gar- den City, initiated in 1919--creat- ed to his own dream of "a town de- signed for healthy living and indus- try; of a size that makes possible a full measure of social life but no larger; surrounded by a rural belt". It was a short step from How- ard's conception to Professor Aber- crombie's own Greater London Plan (which sought to protect the green belt by dispersing the population in- to "new towns") and then to the New Towns Act of 1946. By June, 1948, ten new towns--six of them ly by Britain's Minister of Town{ Country Movement within a 60-mile radius of London --had already been designated for development under this Act, their size being limited in advance as Howard's had been. Industrial de- velopment is planned to provide a "palanced" distribution of industry as specified in The Distribution of Industry Act 1945, to provide alter- native employment when one indus- try is depressed. It is departure from these pre- cepts and the broad and realistic way in which it sketches a new ap- proach which has made Professor Abercrombie's Report the centre of keen discussion. The Report begins with a striking study of the regions, population, industry and economic prospects, by Mr. Clive 'Williams, which leads to the conclusion that the economic advantages of the West Midlands as a producer of wealth and a magnet for industry and population are so great that the population--so far from being reduced as in other schemes--can- not and should not be restricted to its present size. On the contrary, since Britain's need for the exports which this area is especially fitted to produce is so great, it is proposed to raise the population to 3,785,000 by 1962. But, in addition to the natural in- creases, the plan actually provides for immigration from other areas. Next, the plan makes a frank and fearless defence of the "conurba- tion" as "the industrial machine par excellence," for only there can very large plants with minimum produc- tion costs be gathered in sufficient variety to absorb temporary unem- ployment. Consequently, the Report challenges outright the advocates of radical dispersal and low density of settlement whose views were in danger of becoming dogmas. All the plan proposes is to redeploy the population within the area, keeping that in the Black Country more or less constant and increasing the po- pulation of neighbouring towns to raise their economic efficiency: Rugby, for instance, would be raised from 43,000 to 90,000! Coventry which lacks diversity of employ- ment and social life), from 245,000 to 306,000, and so on, The Abercrombie Report accepts many of the findings of the West Midland Group on Postwar Re- construction and Planning, an un- official team of Birmingham Uni- versity men, industrialists, local government officials and other pub- lic-spirited citizens who voluntarily drew up their own plan for the area last July. But it rejects the Group's vision of a redeveloped Black Coun- try consisting of town units separ- ated from each other by open park land, as it rejects the limitation of population. Nevertheless, the Secre- tary of the Group, the well-known industrialist Mr. Paul Cadbury, writes of the Report; "There is no doubt that it is inspired in its con- ception and practical in its main proposals. The result of our plan- ning will not come in our time. Our children will see its execution, our grandchildren will reap its benefits. POLITICAL CLUBS London, Ont., Dec. 4--(CP)--The Arts and Science Council at the University of Western Ontario has asked the Students' Council to re- consider its recent decision to per- mit formation of campus political clubs. it was learned Friday. The ban of several years was lifted by the Students' Council. A Progres- sive Conserva'ive Club was the first to be organized. Liberal and C.C.F. clubs are being organized. To The Voters of Oshawa! THE OSHAWA RAILWAY EMPLOYEES UNION DIV. 1255 Takes This Opportunity To Urge Every ¢ Voter to... ELECT "PERC" BARRETT as Alderman for 1949 We also wish to congratulate "Perc" Barrett on his new adventure of running for Alderman for the City of Oshawa for 1949 and wish him sincere success. We would 'also like to draw the attention of the citizens and tax payers of Oshawa that while "Perc" Barrett was president of our local union for two and a half years of his four and a half years service. We always found he did everything straight forward and above board. He was very well liked by the management, his fellow employees and the passengers who rode his bus. In sitting in on three occasions with the War Labour Board at Ottawa, our executive was very proud of Perc's ability as a spokesman. expressed himself very clearly and always sticks to his- point of view, We feel that "Perc" Barrett is a young and capable person, who if elected to our City Council, would work for the good interests of all, ~ » Signed OSHAWA RAILWAY EMPLOYEES UNION D. Windover, Pres. DIV. 1255 H. North, Sec. VOTE BARRETT ~ ON MONDAY! Boyes Awaiting Deportation Halifax, Dec. 4--(CP)--A former Royal Marine remained behind bars at immigration quarters here today waiting deportation to England in a few days for the fifth time. David Boyes, 26-year-old native of the Isle of Wight, has stowed away repeatedly in an effort to reach his love--Minnie Harnish of Halifax whom he met during "the Second World War. During his one-year stay in Can- ada, Boyes saw his love turn sour. He deserted the Canadian Army and finally was taken into custody in the far north. Since he met Miss Harnish here, his life has been a series of escap- ades that have made headlines sev- eral times. His stowaway attempts landed him in jail in Egypt, Halifax and New York, Once when Minnie heard of his efforts to reach her, she said: "I'll marry him if he comes." When he arrived here Oct. 30, 1947, on the Aquitania, immigration officers were softened by his pleas and gave him six months to make good in Canada and pay the steam- ship company for his passage. For a time he and Minnie were re-united. Then Boyes joined the Canadian Army, deserted and months later was picked up at Daw- son City. Said Minnie recently: "It's all off. I didn't hear from him for months." Church Council Backs Truman Cincinnati, 'Dec. 4--(AP): -- The Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America went all out Fri- day for elimination of racial segre- gation. In so doing, the largest Protestant church group in North Amefica ap- proved President Truman's civil rights program in principle -- and then went further. ® says in effect that it is fine to pass a law abolishing racial segregation, but what really is needed is to have every man believe in his heart that non-segregation is 100 per cent right, and practice it. The council, which embraces 27 denominations with more than 28,- 000,000 members, reaffirmed a de- claration that racial segregation is "unnecessary and undesirable." It Delegates adopted a report which | had said that in other years, but it] went all the way today 'by saying: "As proof of their sincerity, the churches must work for a non-se- gregated church and a non-segre- gated society." The report, adopted near the close of the council's 40th anniversary convention, met scattered opposition during a discussion period. However, it was adopted without a single "nay" voice vote. C.S.U. Pickets Crown Witnesses' Sarnia, Dec. 4--(CP)--Four Can- adian Seamen's Union pickets were escorted Friday night from Ontar- io Reformatory at Guelph to appear as witnesses at the. trial-of ship's | engineer Morris Murphy, charged with shooting with intent to kill. The pickets are serving terms for illegal boarding - of the freighter Lethbridge of the: Canada: Steam- ship Lines last July 15, when; a dockside fracas resulted in the al- leged shooting. A Supreme Court judge and jury will hear the charge 'against Mur- phy in a trial beginning Monday. He has been free on bail. 'The pickets are Mike Mornak, Al- bert Jackson, - Robert Schumacher and Alex Black. ' Some were wounded when a shot- gun blast allegedly fired by Murphy hit them as they boarded the ship during 'the union's strike against four Great Lakes shipping compan- ies. Lake Vessels - Resume Trips | Sault Ste. Marie, Mich,, Dec. 4-- (CP)--Lake vessels Friday resumed their down in the lakes in one of the last trips of 'the season after being held up for eight hours by dense fog. Ships later were greeted by broad sunlight and. a temperature of 46 as they rushed heavy cargoes of grain and, ore to lower 'lake ports. The temperature, more like early fall than early December, indicated ships making their last trip through here next week may encounter no difficulty due to ice. There is no ice anywhere in the St. Marys Riv- er. ; The United States Coast Guard removed lights from straight-away. channels on the river this week but lights on turns will be left until near the close of navigation Dec. 15. . " : ALLAN GRIFFITHS Alderman @ 21 years a citizen. of Oshawa @ 8 years on Oshawa Welfare Board. 9 years on Housing Commission @ 1 year on Board of Health. If favored with election to Council I pledge the same. conscientious and non-partisan effort as I have given in my past municipal nd PN NW WW WS aa al al a a Su Sl Nw wl Nw Nl wl Nw Sw Nw wv" a a a a al ul al al al al Sa al Sl Sa a a NN NN Nw ES A SNS a WWW. A Sincere Worker... For a Better Oshawa "Herb" ROBINSON eo Young e Capable o Aggressive For ALDERMAN -- 1949 Get Results -- MARK YOUR BALLOT ROBINSON wwe: ove XX For-Cars On Election Day -- Phone 3462 Wheat Meeting Next January Washington, Dec. 4--(AP)--The principal wheat-producing coun- tries of the world decided Friday to hold a conference in Washington next Jan. 25 to negotiate a new in- ternational wheat agreement. The decision was announced by . . the United States State Depart- ment after a meeting of an 11- country preparatory committee, made up of representativs of Can- ada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Egypt, India, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Brazil, Charles F. Wilson of Ottawa is chairman of the committee. The proposed wheat agreement would replace one negotiated early this year but never ratified. That ene expired because the United States Congress did not act on it at the last session, despite an urgent recommendation from President Truman that it do so. The old agreement was for a period of five years. It was designed to divide the world wheat market among the major exhorting coune tries, and set up a system of maxi- mum and minimum prices to pro- tect growers and consumers. VOTE and ELECT MJ FENWICK ALDERMAN "He Gets Things Done!' PHONE 3380 FOR CARS Mr. and Mrs. Voter YOUR ATTENTION ks respectfully directed towards the following civic minded condidates - For Alderman! HARRY F. BENSON MICHAEL J. FENWICK CEPHAS B. GAY ALLAN W. GRIFFITHS CLIFFORD HARMAN THOMAS HART JAMES M. LOWNIE BASIL McFARLANE FREDERICK JOHN PERRY Board of Education! 'WILLIAM JOHN NAYLOR CLARENCE A. SADLER CHARLES H. THORNINGTON Public Utilities! ROY JOHN FLEMING Your earnest consideration of good municipal government should be uppermost in your mind. The sympathetic approach of the above candidates to your problems will be in your interest. Polls Open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.--Monday, Dec. 6) | ote As You Wish--But Vote LOCAL 222 UAWA Executive Committee Te -- mesg apr