encouraging progress is being made in the organization of Maori
Women's Welfare Leagues, the principal functions of which are to
help Maori women to attain higher standards of nutrition, infant
welfare, and homecraft.

The development of Maori lands is being extended, and an
increasing number of settlers, having repaid advances made to them
by the Government, are being given leasehold tenures. The majority
of settlers on development schemes have hitherto had no regular
tenure, their occupation being a matter of arrangement with the
owners of the land. It is considered that a proper leasehold or
freehold tenure is essential in the interests of both occupiers and
owners, and efforts are being made to improve tenures as quickly
as possible.

Under legislation passed in 1950 the Maori Trustee has been
making progress in bringing into production Maori lands which have
been lying idle through complications of title or other causes. Action
is also being taken to grant leases of such land either to competent
owners or to other persons.

My Government feels that the system of Maori land tenure is
likely to break down completely unless determined steps are taken
to reduce piece-meal succession to interests in land. Legislation
consolidating the Maori Land Acts and also introducing important
amendments to the law of succession to Maori lands will therefore
be laid before you.

The successful re-establishment in civilian life of so many of the
ex-servicemen of World War II is a source of satisfaction to my
Advisers. Much effort has been expended to achieve this result,
which was only attained through the voluntary co-operation of all
those members of the community who so willingly made their services
available both as members of various committees and individually.

The full resources of the rehabilitation service will continue to
be available for men of Kayforce to assist their return to civilian life.

Progress is being made in the development of unimproved land
in Crown ownership to provide farms for ex-servicemen eligible and
qualified for farm settlement. This work is now so far advanced
as to make it possible to embark on a civilian settlement scheme
under which unimproved and partly improved properties will be
made available for settlement by young farmers and others not
eligible for rehabilitation finance.

The immigration programme is being carefully planned so as to
avoid any adverse effects on industry or the economy generally. The
Immigration Advisory Council, which is representative of all sections
of the community, has contributed materially to the successful
implementation of my Government's immigration policy, a cardinal
feature of which is that special preference is given to migrants from
the United Kingdom.

My Advisers propose to appoint a Committee to assist them in
planning the development of hospital administration so as to provide
the best service in the most economical manner. It will report on
the various problems, including the provision of base hospital services,
the administrative machinery, and the procedure for the control of
expenditure.

With the considerable reorganization in the coal-mining industry,
and after a decade of shortages, the production of most classes of
coal is sufficient for all requirements, and no coal is at present being
imported. Special attention is being given to conserving resources
of bituminous coal.

My Advisers are gratified at the considerable improvement in
industrial relations and the greater productive effort in certain major
industries, which in some cases have increased output by as much as
25 per cent. These developments, combined with the abundance of
work available, have offered real benefits to the community generally.