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still further. These facts, coupled with the position which existed during the war whereby there was an almost complete suspension of the construction of recreation facilities,, have resulted in a big demand for recreation which has exceeded the accommodation of present facilities. While the problem of providing facilities for the general recreation of the people is principally one for the local authorities of New Zealand, it has been recognized that some assistance from the Government is necessary to enable them to meet the present position, and, in addition, there are aspects of recreation, such as mountain tracks, which are beyond the capability of the local authorities to provide for. Much of the time of the Department was occupied during the past year, therefore, with the pressing question of the construction of facilities for recreation. Arrangements were made for a series of contacts with official organizations overseas to ensure that New Zealand would be quickly and accurately informed of all modern developments in regard to such facilities, and this information has been made available to the local authorities and other organizations in New Zealand requiring it. At the same time study has been given to the present conditions in New Zealand with a view to estimating what the probable requirements of a New Zealand community are in regard to recreation and in detailing the facilities required to provide accordingly. This information has been made available to local authorities and has been used by other State Departments in the course of general community planning. Provision was made for the establishment of grants under the Physical Welfare and Recreation Act, 1937, and £lO,OOO was placed on the Department's estimates for thispurpose. This provision was made late in the year and became operative only during the last two months of the financial yeaj*. Only a score of applications for financial assistance were received before the financial year closed, and fourteen grants were made of a total value of £3,295. The purposes for which these grants were required were as follows : £ Buildings .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 525 Grounds for recreation .. .. .. .. .. 1,450 Equipment for recreational organizations .. .. .. 950 Coaching and instruction in recreation . .. .. .. 370 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. £3,295 Grants are made on a subsidy basis to encourage (1) the promotion of new recreation groups catering for people who had not taken part in recreation before, and (2) the further development of existing recreation groups in order to increase their effectiveness. An information service has been established and information bulletins produced and distributed to recreational organizations throughout New Zealand. This information service is designed to provide for all interests throughout New Zealand an up-to-date source of technical information and ideas which will enable them to improve their general service for recreation. It contains such matters as technical information on the construction of swimming-pools, gymnasia, community centres, and all types of sports-grounds, on methods of maintaining and developing such grounds, together with material on methods of coaching various sports and skills. This information service is proving popular and is in demand. By arrangement with the New Zealand Inter-Church Council, the Department has instituted a series of courses for the training of Church leaders in recreational organization. The courses, which are under the direction of the Physical Welfare Officers of the Department, aim to train the leaders chosen by the Churches from their own groups in methods of organizing recreation clubs and providing suitable recreational programmes for the youth of the Churches. Several courses have already been completed. Particular attention was given by the Physical Welfare Officers of the Department to the promotion of sport in outlying country districts which have not enjoyed in previous years the opportunity of such recreational participation. In some areas entirely new

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