25 JUNE] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE 1073

New Zealand’s manufacturing industries are making a substantial
contribution towards our over-all economy. The quality of their
products remains at a high level while their standard of design and
workmanship compares favourably with that of other countries and
reflects much credit on all concerned. Thanks largely to the steady
demand for the products of our manufacturing and processing
enterprises, the employment outlook remains favourable.

Increased demands for electric power have thrown such additional
strains upon the country’s power production resources, that supply
has not been able to keep pace with demand. My Government has
pressed ahead, with all possible expedition, with the construction of the
Maraetai scheme on the Waikato River, and the plant is rapidly
approaching completion. The full capacity of Maraetai will be
180,000 kW., and this addition to the supply of power will be a
substantial one. In addition, special priority has been given to
borings, which have been proceeding since 1950, in search for coalfields
that will justify the establishment of a coal-burning power-station.
In the expectation that a suitable coalfield might be found, and in
order to save time in the development of a steam-station, the Govern-
ment has decided, with the full agreement of the supply authorities,
to bring an expert from overseas to report on the position. At
Wairakei the borings give continued promise of geothermal steam
as a source of electric-power generation. New deep-drilling equipment,
to speed up testing, will shortly be installed.

Following the industrial upheaval of last year, a much better
condition of industrial harmony obtains throughout the country. There
have been many instances of increased production rates, and irritating
stoppages have been conspicuous by their absence. My Minister of
Labour has been in constant touch with representatives of the workers
in efforts to remove causes of discontent, and to promote understanding.

Coal production has been built up to the point where imports
are at present no longer necessary.

A high level of demand for labour continues. Indeed the acute
shortage of labour is still causing delays in the building of houses and
in many other essential activities. Because of this situation, my
Government has further expanded the immigration scheme. Two ships
have been chartered to replace the “ Atlantis,” and the possibility of
securing further shipping is being explored. The inflow of Dutch
immigrants has been increased and some 6,000 are expected in the
current twelve months. The net gain to population from immigration
for this calendar year is expected to exceed 20,000.

The provision of housing for families occupies an important place
in the attention of my Ministers. The increasing number of loans and
suspensory loans granted for building, and for the purchase of homes,
shows that the people are conscious of the benefits attaching to home
ownership. My Government has continued, and will continue, the
building of State rental houses for those families which for various
reasons are not able to enjoy the benefits of home ownership. Tenants
of State rental houses have responded to the opportunity afforded
them to purchase their homes. Nearly 4,900 houses have been sold
for the sum of £9,900,000. The grant of a subsidy towards the cost
of building dwellings for aged persons has encouraged local bodies,
and charitable and religious organizations to undertake the provision
of this type of accommodation.

Most encouraging progress has been made in the rehabilitation
of ex-servicemen, upon which £141 million have been expended since
the inception of the scheme. The bulk of this has been by way of loans
to ex-servicemen. These rehabilitation facilities will be available to the
men who served with the United Nations forces in Korea. Last year,
3,956 ex-servicemen were assisted to build or purchase their own
homes. A further 1,117 ex-servicemen were allocated State rental
houses and flats. Up to the end of the last financial year, some 9,400
ex-servicemen had been settled on the land with rehabilitation aid,
while trade-training facilities had assisted nearly 15,000 ex-servicemen
into worth-while occupations. The grant of assistance, in the matter
of education and loans for business, has also formed a substantial
part of the rehabilitation programme.

B