38 FORESTS, WOODS, AND TREES 
2. To use method and foresight rather than to wait for 
public agitation at the last moment. 
3. To secure the fullest use of the parks by catering to 
all tastes. 
4, To trust the public as much as possible in the enjoy- 
ment of what is after all their own property. 
To these counsels may be added others suggested by 
Mr. Basil Holmes, the Secretary of the Metropolitan Public 
Gardens Association (3). The most important is, in every 
city and town, to get voluntary Open Spaces Associations 
to work, who will exert continuous pressure on the 
Corporations in regard to the laying out of parks and open 
spaces. Such voluntary agencies can plan skilfully for the 
future, and see that land is acquired before it is built over. 
Corporations will often maintain what is handed over to 
them by the gifts or forethought of such associations or 
individual citizens. 
The great advantage of the Town Planning Act is that 
an area, developed under a plan, will have parks and open 
spaces greater In amount and more evenly distributed than 
the haphazard systems of the past. Three zones should be 
clearly recognised in a town, in order to plan skilfully for 
its needs of parks and open spaces, namely, a central 
district, the more modern parts adjoining, and the suburbs. 
Encroachments on public lands, burial grounds, and the 
like should be checked by the watchful care of the voluntary 
associations, and suitable parks should be suggested for 
acquisition by gift or purchase. Several large towns are 
still in need of parks and recreation grounds, and voluntary 
associations should be started in such places. Any house 
in a park acquired should be utilised for some public 
purpose, as library, museum, shelter, refreshment room, etc., 
and not be afterwards allocated for some special class of 
people, involving a portion of the open space being cut off 
to form a separate garden for the house. The whole of 
Golders Hill was secured for the public by private and 
public subscriptions; and it was with great difficulty after- 
wards that the London County Council was prevented from 
