D—l

The value of permits issued for housing and housing additions was £26,560,664 (65-1 per cent.) and for other buildings and works £14,208,946 (34-9 per cent.). The total value of applications deferred during the year was £3,492,544. The corresponding figures for the previous financial year were £28,202,603 (71-3 per cent.), £11,354,619 (28-7 per cent.), and £5,554,077 respectively. There still exists a considerable backlog of deferred applications for industrial and commercial buildings much of which is in the highly essential category. The deferment of these has an adverse effect on the expansion of local industry and business interests are embarrassed by not being able adequately to house their expanding staffs. The figures given above, however, indicate that during the year just closed more favourable consideration has been given to the issue of building permits in this category. No doubt in the ensuing year a further easing of restrictions in this field can be made possible.

The following statement shows the number and value of contracts let during the year (State housing excluded) and also includes the corresponding totals for the previous financial year :

11

Permits Authorized. Applications Deferred. Type of Work. Number. Value. Number. Value. Engineering 29 £ 65,975 £ Hospitals 87 1,297,620 1 i,450 Schools 297 1,256,285 16 65,177 Other Government 571 2,279,350 10 261,139 Local Bodies 190 701,602 11 282,700 Commercial 3,865 4,305,429 346 1,707,607 Factories 484 1,331,242 86 576,270 State housing 3,899 7,044,439 Other Government housing 477 760,250 Rehabilitation Department 216 417,092 Private housing 10,196 16,418,581 133 200,938 Housing additions 8,313 1,920,302 90 26,510 Community buildings 670 824,688 55 320,979 Farm buildings 3,689 740,828 26 3,850 Maintenance— Buildings 1,977 245,112 16 8,105 Other works 21 2,537 Miscellaneous 14,146 1,158,278 312 37,819 Total 49,127 40,769,610 1,102 3,492,544

- Year Ended 31st March, 1950. Year Ended 31st March, Buildings (Includes Alterations, &c.) Engineering. Total. 1949. Number. Value. Number. Value. Number. Value. Total Value. District Tenders Board— £ £ £ £ Auckland 27 33,244 39 80,641 66 113,885 168,599 Hamilton 46 38,619 41 61,780 87 100,399 64,798 Napier 19 15,220 34 64,723 53 79,943 63,400 Wanganui 39 36,988 27 47,695 66 84,683 64,960 Wellington 101 104,297 32 59,892 133 164,189 141,446 Christchnrch 65 83,159 47 66,428 112 149,587 145,791 Dunedin 47 37,228 49 93,218 96 130,446 96,405 Totals for district Boards .. 344 348,755 269 474,377 613 823,132 745,399 Tenders Board, Head Office 37 579,587 96 1,633,954 133 2,213,541 2,150,020 Grand to tals 381 928,342 365 2,108,331 746 3,036,673 2,895,419