I)— 1

3. SHOPS To ensure that the tenants in new State housing areas are provided with adequate shopping facilities, plans have been prepared for all those places where major schemes have been undertaken. Shops at Orakei and Taita were completed and opened for business during the year, and four shops at Corstorphine, Dunedin, are nearing completion. A total of 17 shops were completed and opened for business during the year. Contracts have been let for a further 11 shops, and plans have been prepared for shops in twelve other areas. 4. FLATS {a) The lack of reinforcing-steel and cement has necessitated the suspension of schemes for blocks of flats in all the main centres, with the exception of a small sixunit block at Petone which is under construction. Plans and specifications have, however, been prepared for blocks of flats in other towns, particularly Auckland and Christchurch, so that when the supplies are available, construction can be commenced immediately. (b) Pensioners' Flats.—-During the past year, work has proceeded on the preparation of plans for two blocks of pensioners' flats in Ponsonbv, Auckland. The plans for the block in Picton Street, which consists of nine units, have now been completed, contract documents are being prepared, and tenders for the construction of the block will be called very soon. Structural drawings for the larger block of thirty-six flats in Bayard Street are in hand and work is proceeding satisfactorily. In both of these blocks every consideration has been given to the comfort of the tenants, as in the Picton Street block, where there is a community laundry and drying-room, electric cooking and and gas-coppers. All the flats are of the one-bedrooin type. Sites are held in a number of the larger towns on which it is proposed to build accommodation for pensioners, and several building schemes for the housing of elderly people will be undertaken during the coming year. 5. SIZE OF HOUSES The following table sets out the various sizes of houses built during the year and at present under construction as compared with previous years. The proportion of larger-sized houses built continues to increase.

6. WORK FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS (a) This aspect of the Division's work continues to assume greater proportions. During the year 779 houses were completed for other Departments, as compared with 335 the previous year. Apart from the erection of timber-workers' dwellings and farm houses for landsettlement, the most important work was the provision of dwellings for workers engaged, on hydro-electric construction work.

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lJ nits Completed. ~ .. 1948-49. 1947-48. Total to Date. Number of Units. Percentage of Total. Number of Units. Percentage of Total. Number of Units. Percentage of Total. Bed-sitting room One bedroom Two bedrooms Three bedrooms Four bedrooms Over four bedrooms 24 1,462 2,357 348 2 1 35 56 8 8 137 1,214 1,593 253 5 4 38 50 8 231 2,477 12,990 13,149 1,801 76 1 8 42 43 6 4,193 100 3,210 100 30,724 100