C—2

HOUSING During the financial year 1948-49, housing loans were granted to forty-two employees to a total amount of £27,547. Fifteen loans were for the construction of new houses, twenty-five for the purchase of existing houses, and two for repairs and renovations. The locations of the houses are : Runanga, 12 ; Dunollie, 1 ; Dobson, 5 ; Blackball, 3 ; Hector, 1 ; Waimangaroa, 1 ; Stockton, 1 ; Ohura, 3 ; Ohai, 1 ; Granity, 1 ; Paparoa, 1 ; Ngakawau, 2 ; Rapahoe, 2 ; Denniston, 1 ; Ngahere, 1 ; Birchfield, 2 ; Reefton, 1 ; Rotowaro, 3.

Tlie following table gives details of loans granted for the last ten years

COAL-MINERS' RELIEF FUND Receipts from the levy of Id. per ton amounted to £10,882 for the year ended 31st March, 1950, and the total expenditure for the year was £7,146. Interest earned amounted to £176 and the amount standing to the credit of the fund on 31st March, 1950, was £8,123. At the close of the previous year the figures were : receipts, £11,373 ; expenditure, £7,763 ; interest, £56 ; balance as at 31st March, 1949, £4,221. It will be noted that the financial position of the fund continues to improve in response to the increased levy. SOCIAL AMENITIES During the financial year 1949-50 the sum of £6,530 was expended in providing social amenities for mining townships, as against £5,575 in the financial year 1948-49. Of this sum, £3,185 was supplied from the State Coal-mines Account and £3,345 from vote " Mines." This expenditure covered a multitude of activities, the main ones being those of football clubs, cricket clubs, hall committees, bowling clubs, sports clubs, community centres, ambulance committees, playgrounds, fire brigades, tennis clubs, croquet clubs, swimming-baths, &c. It is becoming apparent that in future the Government will be asked to meet calls for social amenities involving the expenditure of sums beyond the capacity of the State Coal-mines Account and the " Mines " vote. To meet this position the Government

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Erection of Purchase of Repairs and Tnt.al New Houses. Existing Houses. Renovations. Year Ended Number. Amount. Number. Amount. Number. Amount. Number. Amount. £ £ £ £ Prior to 31/3/40 45 17,555 15 3,301 5 1,428 65 22,284 31/3/41 16 10,221 3 909 19 11,130 31/3/42 14 9,088 1 120 15 9,208 31/3/43 6 5,500 11 6,230 1 495 18 12,225 31/3/44 10 10,335 15 6,788 3 1,025 28 18,148 31/3/45 4 4,549 7 3,925 1 395 12 8,869 31/3/46 2 2,000 7 2,748 2 560 11 5,308 31/3/47 3 4,160 14 7,195 6 1,062 23 12,417 31/3/48 11 11,380 11 4,355 22 15,735 31/3/49 8 10,670 17 6,907 3 670 28 18,247 31/3/50 15 4,575 25 12,182 2 790 42 27,547 Totals 134 100,033 122 53,631 27 7,454 283 161,118