TOWN-PLANNING.—Land in course of development or appearing likely to be used for building purposes may now, under the Housing and Town-Planning Act, 1909, be made the subject of a " town-planning scheme," with the general object of securing proper sanitary conditions, amenity, and convenience in con nection with the laying out and use of the land, and of any neighbouting lands. By this means it is hoped that our towns and urban centres will develop on sanitary and *esthetic lines, and escape, in their future, the wholly inconvenient and unhealthy conditions under which our towns now exist.
A scheme may be made by a local authority with reference to any land within or in the neighbourhood of its area, if the Local Government Board is satisfied that there is a prima fa,cie case for making such a scheme. A local authority may also be required by the Board to adopt a scheme proposed by all or any of the owners of any land with respect to which the local authority might themselves have been authorised to prepare a scheme. It is thus open to landowners to take the initiative. The expression, " land likely to be used for building purposes," includes, it should be noted, " any land likely to be used as, or for the purpose of providing, open spaces, roads, streets, parks, pleasure or recreation grounds, or for the purpose of executing any work whether in the nature of a building work or not, and the decision of the Local Government Board, whether land is likely to be used for building purposes or not, shall be final." Land already built upon, or land not likely to be used for building purposes, may be included in a scheme if it is so situated with regard to land likely to be used for building purposes that it should be so included. A scheme has no effect unless and until approved by an order of the Local Government Board, and before approval the scheme must be advertised in the Gazette in order that interested persons opposing may have an opportunity to submit their objections.
Regulations for setting out the procedure with respect to applications for authority to prepare or adopt a scheme and xnatters incidental thereto are made by the Local Government Board. These regulations provide—(a) for securing co-operation on the part of the local authority with the owners and other persons interested in the land proposed to be included in the scheme at every stage of the proceedings, by means of conferences and such other means as may be provided in the regulations ; (b) for securing that notice of the proposal to prepare or adopt the scheme should be given at the earliest stage possible to any council interested in the land ; and (c) for dealing with other matters, such as streets, buildings, open spaces, lighting, water, &c.
Compenaation.—A person whose property is injuriously affected by a town planning seL., -e is entitled to compensation from the responsible authority, provided he claims the same within the tixne prescribed by the stheme and in the naanner prescribed by the regulations. On the other hand, the local authority may recover from a person whose property is increased in value by the making of a town-planning scheme one half of the value of that increase. Disputes as to injury or increase in value, and as to the amount and manner of payment (whether by instalments or otherwise) are determined by arbitration. With regard to compensation by reason of a town-planning scheme injuriously affecting aipro perty, it should be noted that compensation is not payable so far as the property would have been so affected if by a mere enforcement of the local bye-laws. Again, property will not be deemed to be injuriously affected so as to give a right to this compensation if the cause is a reasonable requirement as to the number of buildings or the space about or height or character of buildings only.
Generally.—A local authority may purchase land for the purpose of a town planning scheme. The Local Government Board has power to act, after holding a public local inquiry, where the local authority—(a) fails to prepare a town planning scheme where such a scheme ought to be made ; or (b) fails to adopt a landowners' scheme which ought to be adopted ; or (c) unreasonably refuses to consent to any modifications or conditions imposed by the Board.
TRADE DISPUTES.—The Trade Disputes Act, 1906, the latest of the Trade Union Acts, 1871 to 1906, deals with disputes between employers and workmen, or between workmen and workmen, which are connected with employment or non-employment, terms of employment, or conditions of labour. The term " workmen ' includes all persons employed in trade and industry, whether or not in the employment of the employer with whom the dispute is.