COUNTY ADMINISTRATION.
COUNCILLOR HOI'SON REPLIES [ TO MR OKEY, To the Editor. Sii", —Mr 11. Okey seems very much annoyed at my statement that he had misled me over the amount that could uj raised for rebuilding bridges, yet lie rather confirms my statement when he writes, "It was the general opinion at that time we w'ould be able to borrow up to one-twelfth of a penny 0:1 the increased valuation." That certainly was the impression of the
councillors at the time who were led to believe so from Mr Okey'3 state-
ments. He was doing the thinking tor the whole Council 33 chairman, unci not for me in particular; in fact, my thinking- sometimes differed very considerably from Ins, much to his annoyance; although occasionally he was glad to get information from Cr. Brown as well as myself. Mr Qkey's mistake appears to have been pointed out to him by the Secretary to ihe Treasury, some time after I think he ceased to be chairman of the Council. I first heard of it through him only a short time ago, when in <j»nvttsation over county matters. He suggested we should make a further application fur money on account of the Tapuae and Oakura loan, to swell, 1 presume, tile balance in Jic bank not bearing interest. Mr okey refers to the engineer's estimate on record in the office for the erection of bridges within the next five years was from to £12,000. 'The following was Mr gkiaticr's report (page 07 in minute-
100k:—Moa rowing, 14' bridges, estinated cost £6030; Waitara, one, esimated cost ,£ioco; and Qraata. bree, estimated cou .t'jooo: total iS n-dges, £0,030. The total number of nidges reported on for reconstruction /as 28.
Mr Okey is taking credit of financing to save interest that he is not entitled to, as it was not for want of asking we did not get loan money earlier. On one occasion we had to send the clerk to Wellington to hurry up matters after making repeated apt: plications, and the plans for rebuiUl■ng one of the bridges included in "ur application at that time is not vet drawn. Mr Okcy did not understand the mode of procedure, and a letter was sent to tile Treasury on April 25th, iyo.3, applying- for ,£4OOO. which should have been accompanied by the engineer's estimates. The bridge reconstructed and paid for out 111 loan was the Notoronui, cost £1036 33. There was a very heavy payment for ironbark timber before I lie work of rebuilding commenced. The cost of the whole was paid for "tu of general account. The work look a considerable time, and I will have it to Mr Okcy to work out the loss we sustained in paying the bank 5l per cent in-tcad of the Government 35 per cent. This is his boasted financing .
I don't think Mr Okcy need trouble about further borrowing powers after I the way lie dealt with £(084 7/8 in 1 rebuilding a bridge not on a county road and contrary to the Loans Act andour special order. That riding at the present time shows £484 7/8 in excess of its share o,f the loa*'i. Apologising for troubling you over tills matter, X am, etc., MARK HOPSON. Inglwood, October 31, 1906,
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Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81878, 1 November 1906, Page 2
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546COUNTY ADMINISTRATION. Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81878, 1 November 1906, Page 2
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