MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 October 1916, Page 7

MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS.

deputations from local bodies "UOT NO MONEY." At the Taranaki County Chambers on Saturday morning the Hon! W. Fraser, Minister for Public Works, was waited upon by the representatives of a number of local bodies in Taranaki with reference to various works in the different districts.

J lie following local bodies were represented: VVhangamomona County Council (Messrs Coyne and M. Ceeven); Clifton County Council (.Mr. C. E. Dowsett); Eginont County Council (Messrs Rogers, Young and M. Fleming); Taranaki County Council (Mr. J. Brown); Mod fioad Board (Messm H. Trimble and Davis); Waitara Borongli Council (Mr. E. Beckbessinger); Parihaka Road Board (Mr. J. Young). Messrs H, J. Okey, M.P. (who introduced the deputations), and H. H. Sharp, district engineer, were also present. The Minister, said he wanted to tell those present what he could do and what he could not do. The basis on which he had to work was this: The items on tile Estimates totalled £035,000. hi s he had only got £349,000 to spend, or just about one-half. It was impossible for him to issue authorities for more works than he had got money for. '.Hie items on the Estimates are not fcr votes by Parliament, but are votes taken to provide for works. The total of the Estimates was always larger than the amount voted. People, he said, were continually asking lor more money when votes were not tptnt. The reason why no vote had been taken in Parliament for a Public Works loan was because it was felt they could not borrow. Our war expenditure was a million a month, and that was why the Government 'had gone in for the big war loan that was so well subscribed. The public had intimated that ttiey would subscribe to that loan, but not tc one foi public works. There was authority to borrow for the latter, but until the war ended there was bound to be trouble, '.n borrowing for them. Some counties had received authorities for more than their half share, and tliev could certainly not get more; others had not, and lie would maki up for this before the end of the year. He was not showing favoritism to any particular body, but it was no ills pretending that he was going to issue further authorities unless lie cleanly saw his way to getting the money. He could not make any arrangements with road boards, tut only with county councils, and he could only transfer authorised votes, WHANGAMOMONA. Dealing first with the Whangamomona County Council, lie said that the Council was allocated £-1750, and authorities had been issued for £171)7. As the half of £4750 U £2375, there still remained £S7S foi which authorities could be issued. He advised the Council, with. thi. assistance of tin district engineer, to make up a list of the works they most urgently desired money for. He could only approve of past work when plans and specifications had been passed by the engineer. He .iad had applications from all over the country from local bodies Who had proceeded with works on their own account and then approached the Civerntnent for a subsidy. No subsidy is ever due until the work is approved. He had to allocate fcr the needs of every electorate, according to the ambunt of money at his disposal. Mr. Coyne said there was a tacit understanding from Sir W. Hall-Jones that the Government would fci'ibsidise the Council for the work done on the Brewer road, and an item of £50(1 had appeared on the Estimates for several years. They were finding too late that an item was not a vote.

Mr. Sharp said the Council was asking for a subsidx on £I2OO. The Government had paid £B4O. The Minister said that if the engineer would certify that the Council had spent their money on Brewei road in a judicious manner and to the extent asserted, lie *vas prepared to give the Council a certificate which would enable them to get the money. Whatever authority they had he would eventually pr.nir.e f.'-r. He would, if the Council spent their loan money on approved work, provide a £ for £ subsidy whenever money was available. Referring to Hood damage grants, he would endeavor to recoup the Council for their expenditure. CLIFTON, - i The Clifton County Council, said the Minister, up to August the Council, had received £22! M and expended £438, leaving f 18.">ti, and the district engineer had £'2T~>l and spent £0(1:1 The Council had received authorities up to within £53 of their half limit. Mr. Dowsett said tht Council wanted a grant for metalling die Mimi-Mokau road, and it had been suggested that the Council would not ask for any money for six months. Tie wanted an assurance that they couid go on with the work. i'lie Minister paid that he could not give any money for the road, a.- lie had not got it, and could not say when lie world. All he could do was to give a certificate to provide money at some time. Metalling is always ;£ for £, not a straight-out grant. This was not a time tvlion large sums should lie asked for. livery shilling was wanted for the war, jrhieli was the first consideration. Mr. Dowsett said the Council wanted an authority issued tor the MokauKiore road for which allocaltion had been made. The Minister said he would lock info the mutter. WAIT.ARA. In reply to Mr Beckliessinger (Waitara Borough) who asked that a Clovernnieht engineer be sent to make an inspection of the. Waitara bridge, the Minister said that he would give instructions that Mi Gavin, who would shortly be at Wanganui, should inspect it. TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCII. Considerable discussion took place on the works for this County, as appeared on the. Estimates. Mi P.rown asked for an increased authority for the M'omona bridge, ai the money was not enough, and the. work had been delayed for years. He also asked for a transfei to expend the Bill road authority of £SO lower down the road.The Minister promised that if the District Engineer was favorable to the proposal .ie would place no obstacle in the way of the transference of the Hill road vote, and the Department would probably take up the erection of the Momono b'ridge, Mr Sharp undertaking the work. No mora money could be found for it.

MO A. ROAD BOARD. ■Mr Okey said that the Ministerial Department in its calculations had evidently included the Moa Road Board in the Tarami'ki County Council Amount. The Minister reiterated that he could not take road boards into consideration; it was county councils that he had to deal with. Mr Trimble said the Board had received one. authority only. £4O, foi the Korito road. The Board was spending £2700, and ill the items on the estimates were £ for £. He specially urged the claims of the Lepper road and the Ngatoro bridge. The Minister said that under the circumstances, and specially as the Board was finding a considerable sum, he would favourably consider Mr. Trimble's representations. If lie found that the Board had been treated as a separate entity from (he County Council, he would make an exception, but lie would not promise that it would get its full half. MOUNTAIN ROAD. Mr Okey asked for '£so for the Mountain road. That sum expended now would probably save an expenditure of £IOOO later on. Mr Eraser ?aid that the road was essentially a tourist road. He had no money for it, and lie advised Mr Okey to apply co the Tourist Department Mr Okey : ''Then they'll refer me to you." The Minister: "No doubt; 'but I haven't got the money." EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL . On behalf of this Council, 'Mr M. Fleming asked for authority to -ipend the unexpended balance on haw? on the Wiremu road. The Minister said that an authority up to £SiX) could be issued the County, and that would be. done. 11 r would decide later whethcn the work should be done by the local body or the department. THE CAPE ROAD, Mr Young, for the Parihaka Road Board, asked that a grant be made for metalling about 20 chains of the Cape road leading to the lighthouse. His Board had never had any subsidies; they had raised a big loan to make their roads; but it was thought that in this matter the Government might help. Mr Eraser said that he was very mcuh afraid the Government could not subsidise the road, but he would investigate the matter, CONCLUSION. Mr Okey thanked the Minister for his patient hearing of the deputations, and for his attendance. Mr Eraser, in acknowledging, said he hoped the conference would prove beneficial, and the many points on which the local bodies had been practically "at sea'' had now ■been cleared up. ]