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158
Within the City, the old Government building which
had previously housed the Secretariat was found to be practi-
cally undamaged and was brought into use as the main
Government administrative office in mid October.
Sub-Depart-
ments of the P.W.D. previously housed in the four-storied
building to the north of the main Government office had to
be accommodated elsewhere owing to the damage caused through
shell fire and subsidence due to the construction of A.R.P.
tunnels under the building. This necessitated taking
practically the whole of St. George's Building in the City.
A preliminary survey of dangerous buildings has
been made and in some cases notices calling for demolition
have been served.
Accommodation generally is severely taxed
to meet demands of the various services requiring offices and
establishments ashore; the position seems unlikely to improve
in the near future.
Lands: Under proclamation, dealings in land -
except for a lease or tenancy for a term not exceeding one
year are forbidden, consequently no sale of Crown Lands has
taken place. The renewal of permits to pre-war holders is being made for six months from January 1946 and some considerable
revenue should result.
-
has
Nearly all equipment both field and office
disappeared and the lack of printing paper and frames hampers
production of plans and maps, of which about 50 have been lost.
Roads: With little maintenance undertaken over the
last two years or more, and stocks of bituminous materials at
very low ebb and quarries swept clean of all broken stone, only
first aid repairs have been possible. The quarry plant is now
being overhauled and put into commission. A large repair
programme for some years is therefore to be expected, both in
resurfacing of roads in urban districts and to the trunk
communications of the Territories.