AUTHORITY TO SPEND

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 148, 26 June 1925, Page 6

AUTHORITY TO SPEND

LOCAL BODIES AND DUNEDIN

EXHIBITION

CABINET ASSENT TO BE OBTAINED

A statement which' amounted to .an undertaking that the Government ■ will give local bodies authority to ; spend money upon district courts at the Dunedin and South" Seas Exhibition was made' by the Minister :o£ Industries and Commerce to-day. There was unusual dispatch about the proceedings when a deputation from the Wellington Provincial Court of the Exhibition waited on ihe Minister (the Hon. G. J. Anderson) on the .subject' - this morning. " I know what; you want," said Mr. Anderson, as soon as the deputation, en- ! tered the room. "You are busy men, and so am I. You want authority lor 1 the local bodies to spend money on the i Exhibition. Well, -I am going, .to ask Cabinet to give that authority. Does that "fix', you,, gentlemen?'";- " : ' . The spokesman replied in the affirmative, adding that the' sooner the authority . was given the better pleased they would be. '] "■' \ : ■'■ -'■ ■:•■•-. The Minister said He would bring the matter before Cabinet-at the'next meet-ing—to-day. or to-morrow, v --'.■-.■■■ The deputation made it dear that time was tho essence of the contract so far as they-were concerned. ' .'■-.: "Speaking as a Southlands and as an Ot-ago representative," said Mr. Anderson. " I hope you will do your utmost to make the Wellington court worthy of! this great province, and I. hope the lbcal i bodies-will'assist you in'every possible way. :. It'will be :a national Exhibition, and I think everyone should assist so'far as: finances; will ■■allow.".' He said he felt certain Cabinet would agree to the proposal he/ would ■ riiaka; at any, rate, he .would, tell.":the;members that: he hadpledged the Department to assist' in the direction asked. ..:.;:• ; .."."'.:' -„'-■_.. : - .- . .The Minister: read ;to the deputation a draft clause'.giving '[ the, necessary authority, ; providing .that 'any overdraft incurred .in respect. to; contributions-, to the Dunedin:. Exhibition: should 1 not •be regarded as which is subject toi' the limitations of;the-. Local Bodies' ■ Finance Act.' : :, ';; ";V '..:--. "