GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE ON ROADS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 669, 16 May 1914, Page 5

GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE ON ROADS.

A STATEMENT CONTRADICTED

MR C. K. WILSON'S VERSION,

Mr C. K. Wilßon, member for the district, during the course of an interview with a Chronicle representative on Wednesday, said he noticed Mr R. Smith, member for Waimanno, had mado a public statement at Ohura to tho effect that the chairman of the YWaitomo County Council had informed him the county had not spent one shilling of the moneys voted by the present Government; tho only thing that kept them going was the commitments of f-e oil Government. Mr Wilson said ho blbo understood that Mr Scholes had stated at Oturohanga that the member had got plenty of grants, but no money had been spent. Mr Wilson said he had pro cured an official statement of the position which he would like published The statement Hhowad that the unexpendad balances of authorities brought to April Ist. 191,% was £4003 to the Government engineer nnd £18,794 in the hands of the county. During the year ending March 31sr, 1914, authorities Were issued to tho Government officers ior £30,402 and to the County £6095. These amounts, together with the unexpended balances ot 1913, made u total of £59,294. Of this total, said Mr Wilson.the County could have had the expenditure of the whole amount had they ao deaired, but they expended a sum of £15.128 out of the amount of £24,889 authorised leaving in their hands £9761. In connection with subsidies, Mr Wilson said there were subsidies provided bv the present Government for all loans applied for except one. These subsidies amounted approximately to £IC>,OOO, T which the County on application tn the Government would have been authorised to expend, but up to March 3lat last onlv ono application was received, for £1407 on ihe Fungarehu loan, which amount was »u:honsed. Mr Wilson said ho understood Mr Scholes hod said the delays in connection with tho Kio Kio end Otnwa loans were due to the Government. This was not bo; the arranging of loan matters was entirely between the County and tho Advances Department. . Naturally the loan proposals in each case w/ould require to be completed before an application for subsidy money could be entertained, therefore any delays in connection wi*h the matter could not be attributed to the Government, but rested with the County and the Department