H—27

(e) Wool Storage A number of buildings are still in use for wool storage. (/) State Housing Further buildings have been made available to the Housing Construction Department, but chiefly for the purpose of complete demolition and utilization of materials. (g) Bulk Stores and other Major Buildings to be retained by the Crown By arrangement with Treasury, all such buildings required for storage or office accommodation are to be transferred at valuation to the Public Works Department for the purposes of administration. These buildings include groups of large warehouses erected at Auckland and Wellington during the war as a charge to reverse lend-lease for use by the United States Forces. Cabinet has recently vested the Ministry of Works with the responsibility for the allocation of Government-owned storage space, including the space provided in the above-mentioned warehouses. A proportion of the space is to be allocated to Government Departments, and the balance, per medium of the Department of Industries and Commerce, is to be made available to private industry. (h) Linen-flax Factories Linen-flax factories in operation during the war were financed jointly by the British and New Zealand Governments, the former having approximately a 90-per-cent. interest. Subsequent to the cessation of hostilities some of the factories have been acquired and are being operated by the Linen Flax Corporation, which is also the trustee for the British Government's interest in the proceeds of realization from the factories which have been wholly or partially closed down. The Board acts as the disposal agent for the Linen Flax Corporation. Briefly, the position regarding each factory passed for disposal is as follows : Blenheim. —Method of disposal under consideration. Seddon.— Main factory and deseeder-shed in use for wool storage. Houses and married quarters occupied by tenants under the supervision of the State Advances Corporation. Other buildings sold for removal. Oxford. —Majority of buildings either sold or under offer to Public Works Department and State Forest Service. Leeston. —Sold as a complete unit. Fairlie. —The hostel, being the only surplus building, has been made available to the McKenzie County Council for transit housing for a period of ten years. Glydevale. —Majority of buildings either sold or under offer to Public Works Department and State Forest Service. Tapanui. —Majority of buildings either sold or under offer to Public Works Department and State Forest Service. Finegand (near Balclutha). —Offered for sale by tender as complete unit. Tenders unsatisfactory. Buildings will now be offered to Government Departments for removal. 6V>m—The complete unit, except for the main factory building, has been taken over by the Scientific and Industrial Research Department. The factory building, at present used for wool storage, may yet be taken over by that Department. Woodlands. —The main factory building and the deseeder-shed being used for wool storage. Two permanent houses acquired in situ by Railways Department. Other buildings either sold or reserved for Government Departments. Otautau. —Except for one small building, all buildings have been sold or taken over by the State Forest Service.

7