D—l

The model village at Mangakino for the construction workers engaged on the Waikato River hydro-electric development scheme is nearly complete. This marks an epoch in the history of New Zealand in that it is the first township complete with all services, including shopping, offices, hospital, Plunket rooms, cinema, hostel, community centre, &c., that has been planned and built in this country as one co-ordinated undertaking. A similar project has been planned for Roxburgh. Hostels have been designed and construction is well advanced at Kaingaroa in the North Island and Golden Downs in the South Island for the State Forest Service. Plans for a hostel in Lower Hutt for the housing of junior public servants obliged to live away from home are in an advanced stage. The following is an analysis of house units built for other Departments :

(b) Land-settlement. —Housing to enable ex-servicemen to be settled on the land continues to hold the first priority among the many urgent claims upon the services of the Division. Although only 107 houses were completed during the year, 128 are under construction and contracts for 72 more have been let. Plans for 118 units have been prepared for tendering. These figures take no account of miscellaneous farm buildings which were built during the year or of old farmhouses which were renovated or converted into modern farm residences. A summary of this work is as follows :

104

Department or Service. Completed, 1948-49. Completed, 1947-48. Completed up to 31st Under Construction at 31st March, 1949. March, 1949. Agriculture .. 4 4 47 1 2 Air 44 44 Army 29 128 22 Education 2 4 2 Forestry 37 8 76 62 Health 3 5 6 Hydro-electric .. 187 59 246" 19 Land-settlement 107 145 404 128 Marine 1 2 Marketing 22 Mental Hospitals 2 5 3 Mines 1 66 ! National Airways 3 National Broadcasting 8 1 is 2 Police 1 1 2 Post and Telegraph 23 12 76 is Ministry of Works 17 16 142 1 Railways 39 14 65 20 Rural 1 8 149 Scientific and Industrial Research 1 1 4 Timber workers 209 44 321 63 Social Security 8 1 Dairy factories 17 17 Rehabilitation 1 Fire Boards 6 Totals 779 335 1,845 ) 354

— Auckland. Hamilton. Napier. Palmerston North. Wellington. Christchurch. Dunedin. Total. Renovations and 2 2 8. i 25 37 conversions Implement-sheds 7 32 27 18 1 28 8 121 Mihdng-sheds 4 ■ 19 3 16 1 13 56 Piggeries 2 7 9 Pump-houses 2 2 Stables 1 2 3 Wool-sheds .. 1 2 1 i 15 2 22