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There are twenty-eight carpentry schools for the training of ex-servicemen operating in different parts of the country, and during the year these schools completed 319 house units, making a total of 544 to the 31st March, 1947. These men are also working on contracts involving 1,075 house units. To provide for. future development, suitable land continues to be purchased, and at present some 20,327 sites are held for future operations. PUBLIC BUILDINGS Consequent upon the shortage of materials and man-power, and the fact that housing has been granted highest priority, the Government efforts in other building spheres have been considerably restricted, and many of the essential works which accumulated during the war years are, as yet, only in the early stages of construction, and in many cases not yet commenced. Education Department. —Amongst the major works undertaken by the Public Works Department have been the provision of hostel accommodation at Lincoln and Massey Colleges for rehabilitation students. The new class-room block at the Wellington Girls' College was completed, the temporary school at Waddington, Hutt Valley, erected and occupied, while the Southland Technical College and Hutt Intermediate School are under construction. Class-room and recreational accommodation and, in addition, many new works of lesser magnitude have been provided by the conversion and reconstruction of surplus defence buildings throughout the country. Health Department.—A large maternity hospital is being constructed at Christchurch, and a nurses' home at Nelson, accommodating seventy nurses, is now occupied. Mental Hospitals Department .—A, large programme is being carried out for this Department. The Lake Alice Institution is proceeding, though only slowly on account of labour and material shortages, and additional villas are under way at Porirua. New institutions were established at Weraroa by conversion of Air Force station buildings, and at Ravensthorpe, by conversion of an Army convalescent hospital. Police Department.—The new police station and residence at Kingsland, Auckland, has been completed and occupied, and the W T hitianga station is in course of erection. At the Dunedin Central Station additional accommodation was provided. Public Works Department.—A plant workshop at Sockburn was completed, and new bulk stores buildings in Blenheim Road, Christchurch, are under construction. Rehabilitation Department ~Rehabilitation training centres have been provided at Palmerston North, Napier, Whangarei, Kaikohe, and Kaitaia. Scientific and Industrial Research. —A modern concrete building to house the plant research laboratory near Massey College at Palmerston North was completed and occupied. Land and Income Tax Department.—ln connection with.the decentralization of the Land and Income Tax Department, office accommodation was provided in various centres. , Government Buildings.—At Palmerston North a building purchased for Government accommodation was converted to the needs of various Departments. Miscellaneous.—The transfer, re-erection, and conversion of surplus defence buildings into office and other accommodation for various Government Departments has entailed much work. In addition, the maintenance, r-epair, and renovations of Government buildings has presented a heavy programme of work, much of which has been an effort to overtake arrears which accumulated during the war. War graves are receiving regular service, and a large number of permanent graves have been constructed and temporary crosses erected.

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