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11. Transit Housing Substantial demands have been received from the many local bodies who are availing themselves of the Government's generous offer with regard to the provision of transit housing facilities. Every effort to meet requirements under this heading has been made, and many buildings, although attractive to individual buyers, have been incorporated in the local-body schemes. 12. State Housing Buildings of attractive nature have been utilized by the Housing Construction Department, either for adaptation on their present sites or by removal to adjacent areas for re-erection as permanent units. Several blocks of buildings commenced during wartime for civilian purposes and diverted to military service have been reconverted to their original intended use. In particular, various blocks of flats such as at Hamilton, Waterloo, and Lower Hutt, and McLean Block, Wellington, can be mentioned. Although these conversions are at present going on, and in some cases have been completed, the final adjustment financially as between the two accounts —War Expenses and Housing Construction—has not been completed . nor incorporated in the year's accounts. The transactions reach substantial figures and will be incorporated in the report for 1946-47. 13. Buildings erected on behalf of American Forces The final adjustment of charges and allocation of credits to the Americans on account of their buildings have been the subject of conferences between officers of the Boartl, Ministry of Works, Treasury, and American representatives, and agreement has now been reached. The settlement recently signed in Washington by the Minister of Finance incorporates this mutual agreement. Several substantial buildings have already been sold. These include three large warehouses at Petone railway crossing, the dock-site warehouse in Auckland, and buildings, land, &c, at the former No. 6 Mobile Hospital at Avondale. In addition, realization of a number of former United States camps has been completed. 14. Buildings ex the Pacific The buying commission which visited American bases in the Pacific towards the end of last year was successful in obtaining a large number of prefabricated steel buildings, used extensively by the Americans in the forward areas. These were of three types —Quonset, mobile hospital, and' task Force. The buildings have now reached the Dominion, and the two latter types, under the direction of the Commissioner of Works, are being allocated to Government Departments for use as additional classrooms at schools, colleges, and Universities, and to the Public Works Department for office and store accommodation on numerous construction works. The Quonset huts were all taken over by the Public Works Department. 15. Huts The standard huts of three sizes, 10 by 8, 20 by 8, and 15 by 8, have met with ready disposal. Practically the whole of the surpluses of the first two groups have been transferred to Government Departments or made available to satisfy the transit schemes mentioned above. The 15 by 8 type, which was originally difficult to sell, is now being eagerly sought after and supplies in the main centres have been exhausted. Enterprising buyers are now going farther afield, a Wellington firm having recently completed negotiations for a block of over 200 of these from the R.N.Z.A.F. station at Delta, where the Board had expected some difficulty in disposal. The firm concerned is transferring these "huts by scow to Wellington, and their distribution will, help in a small way to alleviate the present timber shortage for the erection of small service outbuildings for metropolitan residences.

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