CORRESPONDENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 206, 11 September 1879, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

To thk Editor of the 'Evening Mail.' 1 Sir— Will you oblige me hy giving publicity ! to the following part of thc Public Worka Statement made by our very Hon the Minis- ' ter for Public Works. The amount of expenditure and obligations incurred since June 30, 1878, on railway works in the different divisions of the colony will be seeu ' by the following tables, shillings and pence being omitted:-*-North Island Expenditure. Liabilities. 1878-79. 3otU June, 1879. Auckland £83,395 £231,586 Hawke's Bay 48,167 26,626 Taranaki 35,679 34,776 Wellington 176,618 242,961 £343,859 £537,949 Middle Isdand. Otago £223,607 £320,694 Canterbury 177,319 172,966 We9tland * 553 4,935 *Nelson 57,337 32,229 Marlborough 3,999 8,954 £462,815 £539,798 It appears from the above that Otago has had the lion's share of the expenditure as well as liabilities, making in all for one vear £544,301 out of a total for the Middle Is'land of £1,002,593 leaving to the other parts of the Island £458,292. But by far the cleverest part of the report is that Nelson bas been debited with an expenditure of £57,337 and liabilities £32,229 ; making in all for Nelson £89,566 for last year. Sir, not being able to flnd out where, or how, the money has beeu spent iu this Provincial District, would you he so kind as to inform me and your readers in geueral, whether that report can be relied upon. I am, &c , E. Orr.