H—lB

3. The favourable trend in the employment position in so far as it affects exservicemen has already been commented upon in Section VII hereof, and this may be further exemplified by reference to the following tabulation showing the numbers of persons drawing rehabilitation allowances and comparable demobilization totals as at the end of each month for the year under review.

SECTION XII.—HOUSING (i) Assisted Erection of Homes 1. During the year under review loan authorizations for the erection of houses totalled 1,853, involving £2,593,566. 2. This represented an increase of 1,193 loans, involving £1,800,981, more than the previous year. - (ii) Assisted Purchase of Homes 1. During the year under review the purchase of existing dwellings by exservicemen with the aid of rehabilitation finance was authorized in 3,242 cases, 2. Bv comparison the totals for the year ended 31st March, 1945, were 1,272 cases., involving £1,145,042. 3. During the year the Board authorized a publicity campaign asking owners of properties desirous of disposing of properties to make same available to ex-servicemen requiring homes and offering the services of the Rehabilitation Board as a means of arranging for early inspection of all properties offered to determine their suitability. The response was satisfactory, as it was found that, although a large number of the properties directly offered to the Department were not of the required standard, there was a marked increase in the number of direct sales to servicemen effected and consequent increase in applications for loan finance. (iii) Allocation of State Rental Houses 1. In the year under review a total of 2,085 State rental houses were allocated for occupation by ex-servicemen after examination of the relative urgency of the cases of applicants by District Rehabilitation Committees. 2. The corresponding total for the year ended 31st March, 1945, was 1,507, an increase of 578.

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Number drawing Rehabilitation Allowances. Total Number demobilized to Date. At Bud of— Fit. Pit for Light Work only or Unfit. Total. 1945 April 21 299 320 70,871 May .. 22 304 326 75,587 June .. 21 245 266 78,385 July .. 22 222 244 82,097 August 30 218 248 87,178 September 29 142 171 98,657 October 43 113 156 111.414 November 32 98 130 119,518 December 26 91 117 126,096 1946 January 21 85 106 134,150 February 10 65 75 143,150 March... 11 45 56 151,400