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11. SITE-DEVELOPMENT Despite the continuing factor of labour and materials shortage, and especially of pipes and cement, engineering work completed shows substantial advancement over the preceding year. In the preparation of some 5,000 house sites, some 640,000 cubic yards of earthworks were moved and the formation of approximately 38 miles of new roading was completed. On this was laid 250,000 square yards of sealing. As regards engineering services, 27 miles of water-mains, 13 miles of storm-water sewers, and 28 miles of sanitary sewers were laid during the year, in addition to house drainage connections to over 4,300 units. The formation of main roading and preparation of house sites and reserves in advance of building contracts have continued on the large new housing areas in the Auckland metropolitan area, at Porirua - Titahi Bay, and in a number of smaller schemes at Christchurch, Invercargill, Dunedin, and other towns and boroughs. The policy adopted in carrying out development works has been to secure first the essential services for the requirements of house units under construction, and, due to the supply position, ancillary work on paths and fences has of necessity lagged to some extent behind the building programme. The past year, however, has seen a marked improvement in the supply of fencingmaterials and all districts are now overtaking the leeway. A total of 230 miles of fencing was erected. The continued control of cement for more essential works has required the use of bituminous sealing for house access paths, and good progress has been made with this work. The 1948 planting programme, due to the greatly improved supply position was the most ambitious yet carried out. In all, over 2,000,000 trees of all kinds were planted. The number of sections on which development was completed during the vear totalled 4,560. In the provision of recreational areas associated with housing schemes, work is still restricted by the need for using all heavy earth-moving plant available on'more urgent work. Nevertheless, in co-operation with the municipalities concerned, 18 children's playgrounds and 11 larger areas up to 30 acres in extent have been completed and are now in use. 12. STATISTICS The following tables give a summary of the activities of the Division up to the present time.— 1 ® ouse units kmded over for occupation, twelve months ended 31st March 1949, and to date '

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— District. 1st April, 1948, to 31st March, 1949. Total to Date. House Units Under Construction as at 31st March, 1949. State Rental. Other Departments. Total. State Rental. Other Departments. Total. State Rental. Other Departments. Total. Auckland Hamilton Napier Palmerston North Wellington .. Oliristchurch Dunedin 941 306 242 370 ■ 808 536 211 61 387 43 79 45 116 48 1,002 693 285 449 853 652 259 9,912 2,016 1,444 2,567 7,327 3,727 1,886 | I 191 ' 871 125 210 168 204 76 10,103 2,887 1,569 2,777 7,495 3,931 1,962 864 1 361 210 387 660 401 350 67 113 31 31 22 39 51 931 474 241 418 682 440 401 Total 3,414 779 4,193 28,879 1,845 | 30,724 j . 1 3,233 354 3,587