not this any department has been in possession. Obviously there is much to be said for having so far as possible, one department to deal with this question. 3. The next problem relates to land needed by local authorities. In some cases emergency powers have been used to enable a local authority to occupy or use land for a purpose for which in peace time they could have bought it under compulsory powers. Thus in one case a local authority was empowered, under Defence Regulations, to construct houses for factory workers; this they had ample power to do under the Housing Acts but the procedure under these Acts was too slow for the exigencies of war time.