D—l

includes the question of reclamation of portion of Porirua Harbour, streamdiversion, location of schools and communal amenities, main highway, railwayline, and zoning of industrial, residential, and recreational areas.

Plans for housing schemes at Whangarei, Christchurch, Mangakino, Kaingaroa, Rotorua, and other districts, including a proposal for the Maori village at Orakei, have also been prepared by this Division. (7) Standards.—The Department is maintaining the high standards of living accommodation adopted at its inception, and although substitute materials have been used in increasing quantities for those in short supply no departure has been made from the standard of house previously provided. In many instances temporary expedients have been resorted to in order that homes may be made available at the earliest possible date, such as the inclusion of galvanized-iron baths in lieu of porcelain. (8) Housing Improvements.—Considerable interest has been evinced by local authorities in many parts of the country in this very important subject. Good progress has been made in the preparation of regulations prescribing minimum physical standards for housing accommodation and measures to prevent overcrowding, and their gazetting early in the forthcoming financial year is ensured. Following this action, considerable activity in housing improvement can be confidently expected judging from the number and nature of the inquiries received from local authorities generally. (9) jßural Housing.—(a) Applications for houses under the Rural Housing Emergency Act, 1944, have now been almost satisfied. Difficulty has been experienced in obtaining satisfactory tenders for the erection of these houses in country areas causing unavoidable delays in satisfying the applications, but farmers have expressed their appreciation of high standard of house provided. A total of 140 houses has been erected under this scheme, whilst contracts for a further 13 have either been let or drawn up.

(b) The erection of houses and farm buildings for the settlement of ex-servicemen has steadily progressed. A total of 152 houses has so far been completed in addition to 140 milking-sheds, 143 implement-sheds, and 40 sundry buildings, while there are, in addition, 170 houses, 125 milking-sheds, 176 implement-sheds, and 45 sundry buildings for which contracts have been let.

(10) Mam-power.—The man-power position in the building industry generally has shown some improvement, but in certain industries the shortage of fittings is attributable to the lack of labour in the factories.

(11) jExpenditure.*—The cumulative net expenditure up to 31st March, 1947, for the purchase and servicing of land, the erection of houses and other buildings, including all administrative charges, amounted to £40,120,379, while liabilities and commitments amounted to a further £8,592,968. The net expenditure under the vote for the year under review was £6,193,778, whilst miscellaneous receipts amounted to £88,790. The total cost of administration of the Department (exclusive of interest charges) for the year under review was £242,576, or 4-19 per cent, of the net expenditure (excluding administrative costs and interest), while the total administrative cost since inauguration amounted to £1,228,463, or 3-19 per cent, of the net expenditure. (12) Carpentry Training Schools. —These schools for training ex-service-men have become increasingly popular, and the Department has employed them to their full capacity. Up to the 31st March, 1947, contracts have been arranged with the Rehabilitation Department for the labour involving 1,619 house-units scheduled, in, twenty-seven towns. Of these, 544 house-units have been completed, 319 of which were completed during this financial year.

52