STATE ADVANCES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 347, 24 March 1910, Page 5

STATE ADVANCES.

EXPLANATIONS BY THE PREMIER. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, March 23 Referring to complaints received from some local bodies as to applications for loans under the State Guaranteed Advances Act, Sir Joseph Ward informed a Post reporter that the total amount authorised by the board at the las't meeting was £012,(100. In no previous period of twelve months had the amount exceeded £200.000. Applications submitted to the Board at its lA t meeting amounted to £1,400,155, «,nd the Board rightly, in his opinion, gave preference to applications for advances for sewerage, drainage, water supply, roads' and bridges. To have entertained applications for tramway, electric and gas loans, and for building municipal theatres, to the exclusion of more necessary works, would not have been right. He thought the public generally would recognise that proper preference had been given to the more pressing works. No board would be justified m letting out the whole of the money available at once. The system had conferred and would confer a boon on 'o cal bodies, but common sense must be used and patience exercised. The Board must be carefuPTn discriminating as to which class of works should receive first consideration.