H.—llb.

advantages of not costing nearly as much for future maintenance, being more weatherproof, and the insurance premiums are lower. The material used in the construction of these concrete houses was near at hand; in fact, the sand was on the site itself, and the shingle could be obtained for 50 per cent, less than city rates. These factors helped considerably in the saving on cost, and, after careful comparisons made between the cost of wooden and concrete dwellings, it was found that the latter had only cost about £6 more. It is expected that with more experience the labour item can be reduced somewhat on these ferro-concrete houses, because as the men get trained they can work more expeditiously. The house generally favoured bj" tenants is the five-roomed. The illustrations attached to the report will show, more than words can convey, exactly the class of houses that have been built; but it might be as well to mention again that each house erected during the year has been fitted with the hot-water system, and special attention has been given to ventilation and sanitation. The houses at Ellerslie embody every possible convenience, even to window-blinds, and poles for clotheslines, and, from their pleasant situation, general comfort, and convenience, should make ideal homes for those successful at the ballot. An analysis of the occupations of the tenants already in the houses shows the following result: Bootmakers, 2; butchers, 2; bricklayers, 2; cabinetmakers, &c, 4; carpenters, 11; clerks, agents, <fee, 15; cook, 1; drivers, 2; engineering trades, 8; gardeners, 4; grocers, 3; housewives, 5; labourers, 17; messengers, •'!; painter, 1; printers, 5; railway employees, 3; storemen, 3; tailors, 2; warehousemen, 4. Other trades represented are —Blacksmith, carriagepainter, carriage-turner, contractor, fellmonger, picture-framer, pottery-moulder, and sailmaker. 'I , he total expenditure under the Act during the year is shown in Return Bof this report. There have been several blocks under offer to the Department for the purposes of the Act, and in this connection I have visited and inspected land in the following places : Wanganui, Napier, Christchurch, and Wellington. Generally the report of the Board in each case was unfavourable to the purchase of such land, for the reasons, principally, that the price asked was too high, or the land was not suitably situated for the purpose, or there was no need for the dwellings because there were already houses available at reasonable rentals. In all cases where the land is available I am strongly of opinion that we should use the land set apart for this purpose before purchasing fresh areas. The whole of the houses were designed by the Department's architect, Mi , . Woburri Temple, and were erected under his supervision. Mr. F. W. Rowley, Deputy Chief Inspector of Factories, was appointed to a seat on the local Advisory Board during the period under review. I have, &c, J. Lomas, Tin' Hon. the Minister of Labour. Chief Advisory Office] , .

A. Return under Workers' Dwellings Act of Houses erected at Ellerslie and Otahuhu, Auckland.

2

Area of Land and Frontage. Value of Section. O ° 3 d !*JI b'Sfe.3 Cost per Living-room Total Cost (inclusive of of Conve- Building. niences). { Occupation of Tenant. Annual Rent. Insurance. Rates, Ac. Gross Weekly Rent. Area. Frontage. .5.=: - Edi erslie. E. p. Ft. in. Carpenter .. 0 31 55 8 Grocer .. 0 32 66 0 Warehouseman .. 0 32 66 0 0 32 66 0 Storeman .. 0 32 66 0 Agent .. .. 0 32 66 0 Engineer .. 10 105 7 Inspector of Api- 1 10 49 6 aries Clerk .. .. I 1 0 66 0 Gardener .. j 1 0 66 0 Compositor .. 10 66 0 Upholsterer .. 10 66 0 Paper-ruler .. 10 66 0 Carpenter .. 12 118 6 Tailor .. .. 10 182 1 Railway signalman 0 25 135 2 Cook .. .. 0 19 66 0 Bricklayer .. 0 26 69 10 Wife of a carpenter 0 31 67 7 £ s. d. 135 0 0 130 0 0 130 0 0 132 10 0 132 10 0 130 0 0 125 0 0 130 0 0 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 £ s. c\. £ b. d. 83 11 6 400 0 0 87 1 6 410 0 0 81 19 6 390 0 0 j 85 3 6 407 10 0 87 1 6 407 10 0 83 11 6 400 0 0 85 3 6 400 0 0 81 19 6 390 0 0 £ s. d. 26 15 0 27 0 0 26 0 0 27 0 0 27 0 0 26 10 0 26 5 0 26 0 0 £ s. d 1 10 0 1 19 8 1 14 2 1 15 3 1 15 0 1 10 0 1 10 4 1 18 8 £ s. d. 2 8 11 2 11 7 2 8 6 2 10 8 2 11 7 2 9 5 2 31 7 2 8 6 S. d. 11 10 12 2 11 7 12 0 12 0 11 9 11 8 11 8 130 0 0 130 0 0 130 0 9 125 0 0 125 0 0 120 0 0 115 0 0 90 0 0 90 0 0 120 0 0 135 0 0 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 87 1 6 420 0 0 80 16 6 385 0 0 83 11 6 400 0 0 81 19 6 390 0 0 87 1 6 415 0 0 80 15 6 380 0 0 87 1 6 1420 0 0 80 15 6 395 0 0 87 1 6 425 0 0 85 3 6 405 0 0 81 19 6 385 0 0 27 10 0 25 15 0 26 10 0 25 15 0 27 0 0 25 0 0 26 15 0 24 15 0 |25 15 0 26 5 0 '26 0 0 2 10 1 18 0 1 19 2 1 18 8 2 10 1 18 0 1 11 4 1 16 0 1 18 6 1 10 6 1 13 3 2 10 7 2 7 8 2 8 10 2 8 6 2 10 .3 2 7 8 2 10 5 2 10 0 2 7 9 2 9 3 2 11 0 12 4 11 7 11 10 11 7 12 2 11 3 11 10 11 0 11 7 11 8 11 8 100. 0 0 100 0 0 90 0 0 100 0 0 90 0 0 OU tahuhu. 27 0 0 26 0 0 26 0 0 26 10 0 26 10 0 Railway porter .. 1 39 | 92 9 Labourer .. 1 39 92 9 Bootmaker .. 1 11 66 0 Grocer .. 1 15 155 1 Colleotor .. 10 87 9 5 5 5 5 5 92 13 2 440 0 9 85 9 11 120 0 0 88 3 7 430 0 0 87 9 11 430 0 0 87 1 1 420 0 0 1 12 1 1 10 4 1 10 9 1 10 4 1 10 4 2 5 0 2 5 0 2 5 0 2 5 0 2 5 0 11 10 11 5 11 5 11 8 11 8