TELEGRAMS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 74, 30 March 1910, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

VOTED BY PARLIAMENT. REFUSED BY THE MINISTER. [BX TtLEORAM— SPECIAL TO TBS POST.] AUCKLAND, I his Day. A grant of £250 to the Hobson County Council was passed during the last session of Parliament for expenditure on the Tangowahine — Mangakahiaroad, but when application was made for the amount the Minister for Public Works refused permission for it to bo paid. In anticipation of the sum voted a contract for earth formation was let, and this proceeded until shortage of funds railed a halt. The Minister's refusal to disbuise the vote is fully set forth in a letter from him to Mr. J. Stalhvorthy, M.P., in which be places all blame on the local governing body. After referring to s-everal alleged errors made by the council during the process of application for and granting of the vote, Mr. M'Kenzie lays down his position as follows: — "Any provision made on the appropriations for the construction of a public work is merely an authority from Parliament to the Government to expend public money for that purpose, and tbe Minister is empowered, if he thinks fit to do so, to hand over the money fo voted or any other part thereof to the local authority concerned for expenditure on the authorised work. But the law confers no right whatever on the local authority to demand the money as a right, nor does the warrant issued for the payment of the grant to the local authority confer any absolute right, for, as you will observe, the authority expressly provides that it may be cancelled by" the Minister at any time."