THE PELORUS GUARDIAN and Miners' Advocate. TUESDAY, 11th APRIL, 1911. A WASTE OF MONEY.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 22, Issue 28, 11 April 1911, Page 4

THE PELORUS GUARDIAN and Miners' Advocate. TUESDAY, 11th APRIL, 1911. A WASTE OF MONEY.

So far as the ratepayers are concerned, Eoyal Commissions are wasteful and unsatisfactory methods of adjusting the differences of opinion that arise between local bodies. Indeed, it is doubtful if a worse system could be inaugurated. Many hundreds of pounds have been wasted in Marlborough in this way, and apparently thousands of others will follow. The recent Commission in connection with the proposal to bridge the Wairau at the fords provides a striking illustration of the waste of money which a Commission involves. The preliminary inquiry initiated the bill of expenses, the cost being set down at about £SO, Then came the preparation of the tally books and the taking of the tally, which quickly absorbed another £SO. An analysis of the traffic was responsible for the expenditure of at least £ls; and then came the Commission itself. Eight solicitors, three engineers specially engaged as experts on bridge-building, and about thirty witnesses will represent a very big outlay. The legal costs alone will easily absorb £250, and witnesses’ expenses not less than £SO. The expenses of the Commissioner, and incidentals, may account for about £25. This does not include the cost of preparing the plans and specifications of the bridge, estimated at £?5, but as these were given free of cost by the Public Works Department their cost cannot be debited to the ratepayers. So at a rough estimate £l4O has been spent on—what ? Simply on an opinion as to what amount each local body shall contribute to the cost of a bridge. There is not any certainty that the opinion will be accepted ; if it appears to bear too heavily on either of the two Boards primarily responsible for the appointment of the Commission they may shelve the matter till some future date. Not one of the local bodies concerned can afford to waste

a shilling of their meagre revenue, and yet they are compelled by a ridiculous law to squander it in this unproductive fashion. There is not the slightest doubt that in equity and on the grounds of economy the Government should construct such important links ip arterial communica--tion, and it is the quintessence of bad management to throw the responsibility upon the local authorities .when it involves such'a tremendous economic waste. ’