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56. Buildings. —Shortage of labour and materials has prevented the erection of many new dwellings and industrial buildings required. As far as possible, surplus buildings from Army, Navy, and Air Force camps have been acquired, removed, and re-erected to meet, at least temporarily, the needs of the Forest Service. Huts and dwellings acquired in this manner will provide temporary accommodation for at least 250 single employees and 42 married employees.. Other new camps established will accommodate 100 single men. In addition, the complete detention camps at Eiverhead and Maramaraua State Forests have been taken over. A further 15 houses were purchased, 12 at Omahuta from a sawmilling firm whose mill was destroyed by fire and the other 3 in different localities. Major alterations and renovations were made to 12 dwellings and 4 other buildings. Camp establishments required the construction (in most cases out of surplus buildings acquired from the War Assets Realization Board) of 8 kitchen and mess blocks, 9 ablution blocks, 1 fire lookout, and 33 miscellaneous buildings. Contracts for dwellings reported in last year's report as having been let by the Housing Division of the Public Works Department have resulted in the completion of 31 dwellings, and with further contracts there are now an additional 25 in progress. 57. Water-supply and Drainage.—This year's contribution to the improvement in water-supply for fire-fighting has consisted principally of the provision of several small earth dams and of the opening-up of access roads to streams and rivers. The shortage of cement and steel has prevented the extension of the system of concrete tanks at strategic locations, but this work will be continued when material becomes available. For industrial and domestic supplies, bores have been put down at Kaingaroa, Murapara, Balmoral, and Ashley (in progress). In all the new camps and villages now being established in State forests where the water-supply is adequate, water-borne sewerage systems and septic tanks are being installed, resulting in a very desirable improvement in living conditions. 58. Utilization Plant.—The kiln capacity of the Waipa Sawmill is being increased by the construction of two new kilns. Steam requirements for these kilns, as well as for the electric-power requirements (at present purchased from the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts, the local power supply authority), will be met by the two boilers now being installed in an extension to the boiler-house. These boilers will not only reduce or entirely eliminate the dumping of waste, but will also enable better maintenance to be given to all boilers and probably allow a greater quantity of surplus power to be sold back to that Department. A big saving has been effected in the return-running costs of logging-vehicles by the construction of a loading-rig, which enables empty trailers to be loaded on to the truck. To expedite the unloading of logs from logging-vehicles, a contract has been let for the erection of an overhead travelling crane, which also will permit the loading of empty trailers on to the logging-trucks. A further improvement of logging-vehicles is a safety stake which has been developed by a State Forest officer. Other plant improvements and additions in progress include the extension of the sprinkler system to reduce fire risk, and the erection of a cafeteria. A new sawmill is being erected at Kaingaroa and for the time being will be driven by Diesel and Diesel-electric engines. The erection of a boiler and power-house will be deferred until the available water-supply has been proved. 59. Transportation. —The demand for additional transport to replace worn-out vehicles and to meet increasing log and sawn-timber cartage still remains acute. Forty vehicles were purchased during the year from the War Assets Realization Board and added to the State Forest Service fleet. Four went to Auckland, 22 to Rotorua, 4to Nelson, 2to Westland, 4to Canterbury, and 4to Southland. These vehicles have in part replaced worn-out vehicles which were disposed of during the year, so that the actual increase in fleet strength is relatively small.

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