P—l

(for residence) ; Port Ahuriri (for residence); Ravensbourne (for automatic-telephone exchange) ; Remuera (for extension of automatic exchange site); Richmond (for residence) ; Rotorua (for residence); Shirley (for automatic exchange); South Hillend (for rural automatic exchange) ; Stoke (for automatic exchange) ; Te Kauwhata (for residence) ; Thornbury (for addition to post-office site) ; Wainui-o-mata (for postoffice and telephone exchange); Wanganui (for transit housing) ; and Winton (for residence.) The difficulty of obtaining suitable living-accommodation for departmental employees on transfer is still a serious problem. In order to obviate this in some degree six additional transit flats were, as already mentioned, completed during the year. This makes the total number of flats provided to date 263. In addition, Graham's Private Hotel, offered for sale in Wellington, was purchased for use as a hostel for female shift-workers. The establishment has been renamed Kensington House. Redundant properties disposed of during the year were the post-office and site at Makuri, and sites at Browns Bay, Dannevirke, Drury (2), Frasertown, Kaitieke, Newton, Northcote, Pukepoto, Roxburgh, and Waiotemarama. At the end of the year the following works were in progress : Balclutha (erection of post-office building); Bdendale (post-office addition and alterations); Ellerslie (erection of automatic-telephone-exchange building) ; Hamilton East (erection of automatic-telephone-exchange building); Hataitai (erection of post-office and automatic-telephone-exchange building); Hokitika (erection of post-office building); Methven (post-office addition) ; Nelson (erection of automatic-telephone-exchange building) ; Nelson (erection of additional garages and staff lunch-room—using surplus steel huts) ; Ohakune Junction (erection of residence); Opotiki (erection of residence); Opotiki (erection of line store and garage building) ; Otahuhu (erection of post-office building) ; Taupo (erection of carrier-telephone-equipment building); Temuka (erection of residence); Timaru (conversion of premises purchased for line store and garage and workshops purposes); Upper Hutt (erection of automatic-telephone-exchange building) ; Waiau (erection of line store and garage); Wellington (alterations to central exchange building); Wellington (alterations to Berkeley House Hostel); Whakatane (erection of four transit flats—using a surplus defence building); and Whangarei (alterations to Telegraph Engineer's Office). STORES The value of stores and equipment ordered during the year was as follows, the figures for the previous year being given for comparative purposes 1948-49. 1949-50. For Post and Telegraph Department— £ £ From suppliers in New Zealand .. .. 1,322,870 1,034,850 Ordered for supply from overseas .. .. 4,106,358 2,956,453 For other Departments— From suppliers in New Zealand .. .. 627,476 619,187 Ordered for supply from overseas .. .. 62,204 93,360 £6,118,908 £4,703,850 The above amounts represent actual or estimated costs, including freight, Customsduty, and sales tax, where applicable.

27