H—22b

1950 NEW ZEALAND

CANTEEN FUND BOARD (REPORT OF THE) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30th SEPTEMBER, 1949

Presented to Both Houses of the General Assembly Pursuant to Section 41 of the Patriotic and Canteen Funds Act, 1947

The Hon. the Minister of Internal Affairs, Parliament Buildings, Wellington. The Canteen Fund Board has the honour to present its report and balance-sheet for the year ended 30th September, 1949, in accordance with section 41 of the Patriotic and Canteen Funds Act, 1947. INTRODUCTION During the past year the Canteen Fund Board, in conjunction with the New Zealand Patriotic Fund Board, made considerable progress in connection with several projects in regard to war veterans' homes. In the report of the Board for the period ended 30th September, 1948, it was stated that the Boards had agreed to establish two homes—one in the North Island and the other in the South Island. North Island Home. —This home is to be located at Okoroire, midway between Hamilton and Rotorua, on an area of 120 acres of farm lands. Of this area 50 acres were a magnificent gift to the Boards by Mr. N. L. Higginson of Okoroire. The balance of 70 acres was acquired in order to provide adequate land for the production of foodstuffs. &nd to make the home substantially self-supporting. A considerable amount of preliminary work has been carried out by a local committee, such as tree and orchard planting, fencing, and the damming of a stream to form a lake. An architectural competition for designs for the buildings to be erected on the land has been launched, open to all architects who are ex-servicemen and members of the New Zealand Institute of Architects resident in New Zealand. This competition closes in April, 1950.