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APPENDIX B ANNUAL REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF WORKS The Commissioner op Works to the Hon. the Minister of Works. Sir,— I have the honour to submit my annual report for the year ended 31st March 1950. Post-war difficulties of man-power and materials, referred to in previous annual reports, have continued. The material supply position, though in certain directions still difficult, has, however, improved somewhat and better progress has been possible on the majority of our larger undertakings. In accordance with Cabinet direction, the demands of all State Departments for works expenditure were submitted to this office for examination and for preparation of the annual works programme. These totalled approximately £47,000,000 and were stated by Departments as representing only their immediately essential works and as being much short of their accumulated requirements. These demands were considered within the limits of finance, man-power, and materials available and, after a full discussion with all the Departments involved, a final programme of work, estimated to cost £36,000,000 was approved. This programme included capital works to the value of £29,500,000 and provision for works of a maintenance character of £6,500,000. As has been the case since the war, the bulk of the finance provided for expenditure on housing, hydro-electric development, highways and roads, land and forest development, education and public buildings, railway construction and improvements, irrigation, water-supply, and rivers control. The value of work completed during the year closely approximated the total sum appropriated, and from the point of view of work done the year under review has been the best since the end of the war. For the current year it is estimated that the works programme will incur an expenditure in excess of that expended during 1949-50, resulting in the main from : (a) Commitments entered into prior to 31st March, 1950. (b) Increase in labour and material supplies. (c) Increased costs. The total labour forces engaged on works coming under the direct control of the Ministry of Works has increased during the year from 17,303 to 18,159. The number employed on housing, and included in these figures, showed a slight decrease—viz. 6,450 to 6,230, whereas the labour force on other buildings, engineering, and other works increased from 10,853 to 11,929.

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