WALLACE COUNTY GRANTS

Southland Times, Issue 17242, 13 January 1913, Page 2

WALLACE COUNTY GRANTS

AN UNEXPENDED BALANCE,

Mr J. C. Thomson. M.P., has been fa communication with the Minister of Public Works regarding the expenditure of tiie moneys authorised last session of Parliament for expenditure in the district, and at the Instance of the Wallac* County Council sent a final communication on December Bth. To this the Minister has replied as follows: —"I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of Bth Inst, inquiring When authorities will be issued for expenditure of votes provided for road works, etc., in Wallace County. In reply, I have t» state that on looking into the matter, I find the Wallace County Council has an unexpended balance amounting) to £2868 6s lid. Until the loan authorised last session—one and (hrecquarter millions —for public works purposes Is raised, it is desirable, owing to the heavy commitments in the 'way of authorities already issued for road, etc., works, to postpone as far as possible the authorisation of new money provided on the current year’s appropriations, and I would suggest that the Council proceed with the expenditure of the authorities which they already hold before applying for the authorisation of new grants. In cases where the work is of great urgency or the vote provided is intended for metalling, however, lam prepared to consider tiie question of issuing authority if special representations are made.” Mr Thomson, in reply, has forwarded the following to the Minister of Public Works: —‘‘In reply to yours of December 30th, dealing with the expenditure of Government grants for road, etc., works in Wallace County, I beg to inform you that, as you deem it desirable to postpone the authorisation of new money provided on last year's appropriations as the. loan authorised last session for public works purposes has not been raised, the Wallace County Council is prepared to raise the money required for the works —which, I may say, they deem urgent—by way of overdraft provided you issue the authorities for the works and give some indication when the money will be made available. 1 trust that you will accede to the request for the reason that summer and autumn are the only seasons when road works, for climatic reasons, can be successfully carried out in Southland."