THE AUDITOR'S TAG.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XL, Issue 13171, 3 September 1913, Page 2

THE AUDITOR'S TAG.

When the Borough Gstn^ii's bM_hcesheet came back from the" 'AuditorGerieral there was a tag affixed/ calling on the Council to explain^how the loan moneys allocated , to certain - rbads * Were - used for other purposes: A: reply was sent, stating that the work had been underestimated; and it * was thought that there the- matter would rest; ' However, at last nights meeting^ of the Council aletter fro mthe Auditor-General^ Was read, stating that it was hot the : ,fui&' tion of the Audit Office to take irtt_*coh-> r; sideratiion the question as- W :wb*sb6rv loan works were underestinratedvor hot. The Audit Office is" only' concerned as to the proper expenditure of loan moneys as authorised, by • the ra,t|etpaws, "ajid m the case ih' question these have beeh undoubtedly devoted to purposes other than those for' which these were legally received/ He had therefore! to request that the matter be at once adjusted.

I "This gentlemen," said the Mayor, "is a most unfortunate legacy to this. Council. Apparently, if the Auditor-General^ interpretation of the law is correct something illegal has been done. Now the Auditor-General is going to insist | on what is illegal being; put' right. The total amount involved is about £1443; and I am afraid that the only thing 1 F > ! can recommend doing is to *pay it out of . general revenue." He said- it was a- bit I rough on the Council, and were it not r that they were endeavoring to save every penny. he r did hot - know., how the* could do so.- However, appaiir^tlyY^wS? had to do it, so the best thing was to pay the amount. .. „:.-.;; Cr. Collins: Is this- the first letter we have had on the subject? The Mayor: No, we had a previous letter.

Cr. Sherratt: Is this the work of. this Council or the old one?

The. Mayor: The old one? . Cr. Bright : It is the fault' of too _areftil bookkeeping. . In reply to Cr. Hill the Town Clerk read the following list, showing the streets that \were overdrawn :— De Lauiotij? /oad £442 10s 4d, Gladstone road £646 8s 4d, Harris street £110 Os 3d, Heta and Cheesemaii roads £16 9s 3d_ Hinaki and Haronga streets £47 14s Id, Rutene road £35 , 6s Id,, Salisbury and Roberts roads £135 3s lid.

The Mayor said. .it was unfortunate/ that Specific amounts 'should have been /•■ put down for each road. They now hsdf sopie • unexpended balances ( oh y soma -.- ' roads' that were insufficient ytjo..nnishper^,., manent works, whereas if ■ the mOhey,could be used fbr cither rda'ds goo&Y Jobs ■*'■'.'. could' be made^of them. - { , Cr. Collins suggested allowihgY they £1400 to remain until such time as ,they raised a further Joan. .'"•''• r The Mayor: 1 We coald>db, that. Ho said his idea was to pay back £100 or £200 from time to time. . ''~ The Mayor's niottoh ! ' y tbv'''fep4y?' ; the moneys out of general revenue was seconded by Cr, WildishJ an^reawied. ! ' ;;'