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However, the organization is now fully established, and when the supply of materials improve the construction programme will go forward rapidly. Houses already erected are inspected periodically and maintenance carried out as required. WAIARAKI NATIVE LAND C'OURT DISTRICT The housing organization, now fully established as a departmental function, has in this district during the past year shown satisfactory expansion and consolidation. At the beginning of the year under the new organization 2 houses had been erected and 5 were in the course of erection. Five teams of Maoris were employed. At the end of the year 22 houses had been completed and 32 were under construction, fourteen Maori building gangs being engaged on the work. These gangs have been so placed as to ensure the maximum coverage of the district as far as materials and organization will permit. The difficulties met with in the building of houses for the Maori people are real and numerous, especially at the present time. In nearly every case it is necessary for applications to be made to the Native Land Court for one or more orders so that the applicant's title to the house-site land may be put on a satisfactory basis. Following the adjustments to title, the legal formalities and location survey require attention before any constructional work can be started. The labour position has considerably improved, and with the close, co-operation of the Rehabilitation Department a strong Maori building organization is resulting. Supervision and transport of materials will always present a difficulty in this district when working in areas as isolated as Cape Runaway and Waitahanui (Lake Taupo). The position at the present time is being met, but when materials flow more freely further transport and organization will be required. Out of the growing consciousness of the people for a better standard of living, the demand for improved housing conditions emerges as an everincreasing factor, and a corresponding effort will be necessary to meet it. Despite every endeavour so far, however, only the fringe of this great problem has been touched. It will take many years of planning and unremitting work before the housing standard of the Maori people in this district is appreciably raised. TAIRAWHITI NATIVE LAND COURT DISTRICT Owing to acute shortages of supply in many building lines, housing operations in the past year have been considerably curtailed. Lack of experienced foremen instructors also contributes against increasing the number of field personnel. There are six foremen-instructor carpenters in charge of twenty-eight Maori workmen operating in ten teams and one foreman-instructor painter and plumber in charge of six workmen. A high standard of workmanship is being maintained and an encouraging improvement made in all trades controlled by the foreman instructors. To date a total of 960 applications have been received, and, of these, 168 have been disposed of and, 300 have been submitted for consideration of the Board of Native Affairs. In addition, preparatory work has been carried out on approximately 200 applications and 250 have either been cancelled or not proceeded with for various reasons.

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