My Government is concerned at the appalling road toll and is
determined to make every effort to improve the situation. Speed
limits will be rigidly enforced; there is no doubt that a reduction in
speed decreases the severity of accidents. The recommendations of
the 1973 Select Committee on Road Safety will be placed before
Parliament as quickly as possible. The committee will also be asked
to report on the possibility of the recent reduction in speed limits
being made permanent.

Tourism is providing increasing employment opportunities. It is a
valuable earner of overseas exchange. The Government will continue
to place due emphasis on the simultaneous development of both
domestic tourism and that from overseas. It is proposed to introduce
legislation to enable the Tourist Hotel Corporation to be more effective.
My Government will increase the availability of training courses for
personnel employed within the industry.

My Government will continue to improve the quality of education
giving proper recognition to the social as well as the economic needs
of the community. The Educational Development Conference will
bring forward recommendations extending from pre-school to beyond
the normal years of formal schooling. Legislative reforms and
appropriate resources to give effect to this major review of education
will have a high priority.

Community involvement in all aspects of education will be encouraged
and vigorously promoted.

In the past, the environment has suffered needlessly as a result of
developments undertaken without adequate knowledge of the social and
physical consequences. New procedures which will apply to Government
works will be implemented from 1 March 1974. The procedures
allow a comprehensive analysis of the environmental impact and will
increase public participation in decisions affecting the environment.

The Government will also continue with its policy of appointing
guardians to protect areas of particular environmental significance.
Ministers will be taking further steps to facilitate the recycling of
waste products to promote the conservation of natural resources and
ensure the preservation of a wholesome environment.

Legislation will be introduced this year which rewrites much of the
Town and Country Planning Act. The Act will be simplified and
greater emphasis given to the protection of the environment and to
the rights of the individual. An amendment to the Harbours Act
will be introduced which will include provision for environmental
impact reports on significant works on harbours and foreshores.

My Government has assigned a high priority to the provision of
additional housing and considerable progress has been made during
the last year. With the number of State houses completed in the
past year increasing by over 25 percent, the total number of all
houses built will be an all time record in housing construction. It
is the Government's intention to achieve a substantial increase in
the coming year. Commercial building construction has also continued
abundant pace.

A number of steps have been taken recently to ensure that home
ownership remains an attainable objective for the majority of New
Zealanders. In particular, measures have been introduced to help
young people and those on lower incomes to obtain houses. The
State Advances Corporation, as the main lending agency, will
continue to be provided with adequate funds for the building of
new homes, the purchase and improvement of existing homes and,
as necessary, the refinancing of mortgages to alleviate hardship.