The Borough Subsidies.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 175, 25 October 1880, Page 2

The Borough Subsidies.

Through the kindness of his Worship the Mayor, we are able to lay before our Borough readers the very flattering information that all hope of obtaining the amount of £ for £ subsidy supposed to have been lost beyond recovery is not yet gone. The Mayor has busily agitated the subject with Government, and aided by Mr. E. G. Wright, the member for the district, has succeeded in obtaining what amounts almost to a payment of the money. The Government, as will be seen from the following letter, recognised the special claims of Ashburton, and though unable to pay under the Financial Arrangements Act, have placed the money under the heading of “ Unauthorised Expenditure ” to be submitted to Parliament for approval, but meanwhile the subsidy will be paid. - The Mayor deserves great credit for his perseverance in urging the Borough’s claim with Government, as does also Mr. Wright for the aid he has given in the matter. His Worship the Mayor, Ashburton. Treasury, Wellington, 20th Oct., 18S0. —Sir, I have the honor, by direction of the Colonial Treasurer to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 16th ult., setting forth the circumstances which prevented the Council of the Borough of Ashburton, constituted in June, 1878, from levying a rate in time to qualify the Council for receiving subsidy for the year 1879-80, and requesting that such subsidy may be paid in respect of the produce of the first rate levied by the Council, but which was not collected until after March, 1879.

In reply, lam to inform you that there is no authority under the Financial Arrangements Acf a for the payment of the subsidy asked for, but that the Government recognising the claim of the Borough to consideration under the circumstances, is prepared, as in previous cases of a similar kind, to pay subsidy for the year in question, at the rate of pound for pound in respect of all general rates up to one shilling in the pound collected by the Council during the period from Ist April to 31st October, 1879, the amount to bo charged as “ unauthorised expenditure ” to be afterwards submitted to Parliament. The enclosed form, to show the rates collected during the above-named period, should be filled up and returned to the Treasury at your early convenience.—l am, &c., James, Gavin, Secretary to the Treasury.