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* 45. To ensure the success of efforts to encourage the building of as many dwelling-houses as would meet the present demand, we consider it desirable, in addition to granting land cheap, for the Government, in some cases, to afford financial assistance, by loans at 5%, to applicants for erecting houses for the accommodation of the following classes of persons:---

British residents of moderate means.

Portuguese and Indian residents of moderate means.

Chinese permanent residents of moderate means.

The Chinese working classes.

Such assistance, should be subject to a restriction against resale or alienation in any way for a term of 15 years, and subject to the restriction that the rent to be charged during that period is to give a net return not exceeding 8% on the capital outlay.

* 46. We also recommend that the Government, in addition to granting the land cheap, grant loans at 5% to such persons as are approved of by the Governor in Council, for the purpose of enabling them to build houses for their own occupation, with terms as to repayment extending over a period of 20 years, and a covenant against resale or alienation in any way during such period of 20 years.

* 47. We consider that in the past the Government has been rather lenient in dealing with delays in complying with building covenants, and we therefore recommend that, in future, the right of re-entry for breach of the building covenant be more strictly enforced. This will have the effect of speeding up building operations.

* 48. Mr. L. G. Bird in his letter in Enclosure 8 (6), suggests that, with a view to saving time, the following sections of the Buildings Ordinance, No. 1 of 1903, should be so amended as to give powers to the Director of Public Works, acting as Building Authority, to grant modifications, subject to a right of appeal to the Governor in Council by the person dissatisfied with the decision of the Building Authority:---

Sections 116 118 134 135 136 187 138 lal

153 162 175 176 179 180 188 216.

This matter we recommend for consideration in connection with pend- ing amendments to the Ordinance.

* 49. Complaints having been received that applications for Crown land have not been and are not now being attended to as expeditiously as they should have been or should be, we suggest that, in future, sites applied for should be put up and sold promptly so as to encourage building enter- prises and to save the locking-up of capital. To enable the Survey Office of the Public Works Department to cope with the above work a recommendation for increasing its staff will be found in paragraphs 59 and 60.

* 50. Mr. Lawrence Gibbs in his letter (8) in Enclosure 1, suggests that all proposed schemes for the widening of roads should be gazetted for general information. He subsequently informed the Chairman that plans which his livm had prepared for certain houses on Robinson Road had to be re-drawn, because a scheme for the widening of that road had not been disclosed to the public.

We consider that, where possible, such road-widening schemes should be published.

Government loans (I) to build houses for tenant

of moderate

means.

Government loans (II)

to persons wishing to build for

their own occupation.

Re-entry for breach of building

CONCIRANI.

Extension of Building authority's power under Ordinance

1 of 1903.

Prompt sale of sites applied for.

Schemes for road-widen- ing to be published.

Encourage-

meni to

* 51. Messrs. Palmer & Turner in letter (10) in Enclosure 1, suggest that the Governinent should give greater encouragement to pioneers by constructing pioneers all sewers and mains, and training nullahs, et cetera, at Government expense in new areas about to be developed, even when the number of houses to be

developing

new arene.

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