GOVERNMENT GRANTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 109, 16 January 1912, Page 4

GOVERNMENT GRANTS.

A STATEMENT REBUTTED. Mr. W. T. Jennings writes as follows: "In your issue of Saturday, January 7th, some remarks were made in connection with the Mimi-Mokau road at \ the Clifton County Council meeting held on the day previous. Is it not singular that Cr. Ejennington did not attempt to give any proof that my statement as to the expenditure by his council on the above road was incorrect? Now I will recapitulate what I said at the declaration of the poll: That Government voted road and bridge money in the Clifton County, exclusive of the part -which is now in the Ohura County, for six years to the amount of £59,475, and out of that amount £45,641 was spent. I further quoted the amount voted and spent for the same period on three roads, two (Tongaporutu-Mangaroa and Moki) of which were under Government control, and one (Mimi-Mokau) under the Clifton County, and drew attention to the small average spent on Mimi-Mokau as compared with the other two. I again submit the comparison:— Voted Spent £ £ Tongaporutu-Mangaroa 7416 7331 Moki 6793 5045 Mimi-Mokau " 6850 3786 The comparison is. a fair one, as some members of Clifton County stated that the Government voted money, -hut hadno intention of spending it.' Yet these same councillors shojved' a worse condition as shown above. Let me further particularise the position so far as the Mimi-Mokau road is concerned, and I take the figures from the Public Works and Roads, Statement for each year since the Olifton County had the expenditure of the money:— •

Now, just one word in conclusion. I had no intention (as per Cr Kennington) of casting a slur on the Clifton County, nor was I suffering because I was defeated. For some years past I could not understand l the way the council conducted the operations in connection with the- Okoke, Mimi-Mokau roads. I know that weather conditions would stop •operations; hut weather conditions applied equally to work done under Government supervision, which certainly shows better results. If I wished to s '. l,r le council it would be in ujfe direction of wondering why it objected to the new scheme lor settlers borrowing. money for improvements to their roads, and receiving pound for noiqid subsidies on the borrowed money. I have explained to settlers what the , new proposals are, and I am glad to se<> that they are now taking advantage of the new L'oans to Local Bodies Act, which .will prove as great' a benefit to outlying districts as the Advances to Settlers Act has done. The Liberal Party are to be blessed for their beneficent measures, which were both opposed by the Opposition Party."

Years Voted Spent. £ £ 15)05-0 1450 804 1906-7 1000 020 1007-8 1200 .515 1908-9 1000 650 1909-10 1200 550 1910-11 1000 650 Total 6800 3785