Local Expenditure.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5295, 27 June 1895, Page 4

Local Expenditure.

It may be well to remind those looal bodies that are nursing valuable "nest eggs" in the shape of fixed deposits with their bankers of a warning uttered by the Premier during his last visit to Christchurch. Mr Beddon, it will be remembered, hinted to the. members of one of the deputations that waited upon, him that the Local Government Bill to be introduced thiß Bession might provide for the transfer of the accumulated funds of the various local bodies to one general account. He was speaking of the importance of finding remunerative occupation for the unemployed, and wished his hearers to realise that it might be doubly advantageous to them to seize the present opportunity to complete any necessary looal works. The suggestion, of course, was that the proposed legislation might deprive the localities of the power to spend their own money in their own way, and that it would be wise for them to provide against Buoh a contingency. We oannot Bay how muoh of this was intended by the Premier to be taken Beriously, but those Boad Boards and other similar bodies that have large sums of money lying to their credit should certainly consider the expediency of finishing the roading and bridging of their distriots. The North Bakaia and Lake Coleridge Boad Boards* for instance, have between them something like .£II,OOO on fixed deposit. It would be quite easy for these bodies, to find work for fifty, or sixty men during the present winter, and if they consult the best interests of the proper ty-ownera in their districts they will see that this is done before Parliament has an opportunity to take possession of their funds.