The Town and Country Planning Act, 1953, requires each City Council to submit to the Government a draft town plan covering anticipated development for a period of 20 years in the future. The Wellington City Council have notified the Minister that their Draft Plan will be finally presented to him for his approval in early August. This means that all interested parties have until August 1, 1905, to comment on, or object to, the plan if they so wish. Because the Government has the final say on the acceptance of the plan and because right in the middle of the city centre an area has been set aside as a Government sector, whose planning is principally the responsibility of the Government architect, it is essential that there is harmony between them and the City Council.

When Salient spoke to Mr. Shepherd, the Government [unclear: architect], he emphasised the close linkage between the Government and the City Council at all stages of the plan.

The Ministry of Works and the Government Statistics Department gave assistance, while architects from Mr. Shepherd's own staff were loaned on a temporary basis to the City Engineer.

Mr Shepherd admitted that his own sphere of interest lay in the Government sector and not with the general Draft Plan. But he underlined the fan that harmonious development with the Council, from an architectural point of view, would be pursued.

On being asked about Mr. Connell, the Chief Town Planner, who resigned last January, Mr. Shepherd outlined his views thus. Mr. Connell was on the staff of the City Engineer and any recommendations to the Town Planning Committee had to go through the channels.

This situation was peculiar to New Zealand, where City Engineers have carved a strong position for themselves, and must have been a singularly frustrating experience for the Town Planner.

When the conversation turned to the "Beehive," Mr. Shepherd clarified some popular misconceptions about this controversial topic. Local architects were of the opinion that the new Parliamentary building should be constructed in the "contemporary idiom" and when Sir Basil Spence came out to New Zealand to give the Chancellor's Lecture at Victoria, an approach was made to ask his expert opinion.

Sir Basil spent only a short time outlining his ideas of a circular building on a piece of paper approx. Gin by 4in. Mr. Shepherd conceded that Sir Basil had been paid a fee for his services and that a large amount of correspondence between himself and Sir Basil had taken place since the latter's return to England. All-in-all, he did not think that the policy of consulting overseas experts was likely to be continued.

Mr. Shepherd said that although the "Beehive" was revolutionary in design, the function of the building and the nature of the site had to be examined.

It was his considered opinion that the "Beehive" was aesthetically pleasing, yet at the same time, strictly utilitarian.—W.A.L.