G—9

health of the Maori people. The Department has established a small nursery at Tauranga where the propagation of citrus and other fruit trees is carried out solely for the purpose of sale to the Maori people desirous of establishing small orchards for their own needs. In the Department's nursery at Rotorua over a million trees from the seedling stage to the planting-out stage are growing. These trees are distributed throughout the North Island for shelter and other purposes on Maori lands. New Development The largest area undertaken during the past year was the clearing, cultivation, and grassing of 2,300 acres of virgin land on the Pouakani Block, near Maraetai Hydro Works. In other districts slightly more than 3,000 acres were cleared and a total of 3,100 acres were grassed. Wire-supplies are now available, but the shortage of suitable fencingtimber is causing inconvenience in some districts, and it is now necessary to explore new fields for future supplies. No difficulty is expected in obtaining contractors equipped with suitable power machines and implements to carry out the clearing and cultivation of the open fern and scrub country which is as yet undeveloped. Adequate supplies of fertilizer sufficient to provide at least 3 cwt. per acre with.the initial sowing of the grass and sufficient to build up quick fertility of the soil during the early stages of development must be assured before undertaking the breaking in of new areas. In development it is necessary to work in close co-ordination with the Department of Lands and Survey so that its efforts in bringing in new areas for the settlement of ex-servieemen are not adversely affected through competition for the supplies of fertilizer and other materials in short supply. HOUSING AND BUILDING Housing and general construction activities of the Department over the past year have shown a marked increase on those of the previous twelve months. Works completed during the year and those in progress at the 31st March, 1949, while shown in more detail in the accompanying statistical tables, may be summarized as follows (the figures in parentheses indicating the relative returns for the corresponding classes in the previous year) : (a) Housing completed during the year under the Maori Housing Act, land development, and rehabilitation : New dwellings, 310 (196); additions, alterations, and improvements, 147 (159); purchases, 66 (33). In addition, houses not fully completed but already occupied numbered 22. (b) Housing works in progress (under same headings as above) as at 31st March, 1949 : New dwellings, 187 (194); additions and other improvements, 50 (65). (c) On behalf of the Maori Trustee — (1) Completed : 2 houses ; 5 repairs and alterations to houses. (2) In progress: 1 house. (d) On behalf of the District Maori Land Boards—(1) Completed : 3 houses ; 8 additions or repairs and alterations to houses. (2) In progress : 1 house ; 1 repairs to house. (e) On behalf of the Education Department—(l) Completed — TokOmaru Bay Maori School: Erection of additional classroom; additions to teacher's cottage. Tikitiki Maori School: Alteration teacher's residence ; erection of dental clinic. Potaka Maori School: Erection prefabricated class-room. Te Araroa Maori School: Erection prefabricated class-room. (2) In progress : Hiruharama Maori School: Erection Headmaster's residence. Waiorongomai Maori School: Erection additional class-room.

6