LOANS TO LOCAL BODIES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 248, 10 March 1913, Page 8

LOANS TO LOCAL BODIES.

: THE CLIFTON COUNTY BRIDGES. At the meeting of the Clifton County Council on Friday the Superintendent of. the Advances to Local Bodies Department wrote, in replv to the Council's letter pointing out that on the provisional approval the Council had undertaken liabilities on account of thebridge loan, that it was with great reluctance that the Board decided to decline the application. He pointed out, •too, that the regulations laid down specifically that no provisional approval should be deemed to constitute any agreement between the Board or Superintendent and the local authority, or •should affect in any manner the "right, of the Board to refuse or grant the' loan. It was regretted that the Council undertook liabilities in view of the above provisions. The Board much regretted that owing to the heavy drain on the Department's funds it was impossible to grant the loan applied for at present. A footnote stated that, should the Council not be in immediate want of the money the application could •be re-submitted when .fresh financial arrangements were made,' and the Board 7 j would doubtless give preference to ap- ' plications such as this. On receipt of the letter the clerk (Mr. Vaughan) replied to the effect that the Council was in immediate need of the money. With reference to the Council undertaking liabilities before receiving the money it was, he pointed out. abso-' lutely necessary to open their main roads for traffic, and unless the Council, was prepared to undertake a reasonable amount of risk in like cases, its utility | as a public body would be reduced to a I minimum. He pointed out that it was ja matter deserving preferential treatment, because (1) it was for work absolutely necessary to prevent the main communications being- severed; (2) Clifton was comparativelv a new country, and.the settlers having taken up the cross of isolation in the baekblocks were deserving of every encouragement at the hands of the Government; (3) there wis no railway or navigable river fn the county, and the whole traffic was borne by road. The humidity of the climate vastly increased the difficulty of roading the land. The matter was briefly discussed. Cr. Jones suggested that tile Council should apply for foOO or £IOOO to relieve the position at present, or give a guarantee that no more would be used until after more money was available. Mr. Oke<\ had suggested this to him. and had pointed out that some local bodies borrowed thousands, which remained in the bank for some time before being used. Members were of opinion that this I would mean a fresh application, and [ eventually it was left in the hands of the chairman to draft a letter on the subject.