EGMONT COUNTY BRIDGES.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 May 1917, Page 3

EGMONT COUNTY BRIDGES.

GOVERNMENT WON'T FIND LOAN MONEY. Notification, was received at Tuesday's inciting of the Egmont County Council from the Stale Advances Department to the effect that the Advances Board was unable to entertain the Council's application for a loan of £ISIOOO, subject to the conditions mentioned by the Council. The interest mentioned (5.J per cent.) i~t not include sinking fund.

Replies were received from the Public Tru.itee, the Government Department and the A.M.P. Society declining to make the advance.

111 connection with the Punelm bridge, ■Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., wrote that, considering the large work the Council was going 011 with in the way of renewing bridges and making the. same permanent, he certainly thought the Government should in this case help with a £ for £ grant. The Council certainly had a very good case to go to the Government with, and he would be pleased to eo-operate in the matter. The chairman said that the position regarding the loan was not as satisfactory as anticipated. Apparently tlicy could not borrow more than , £SOOO from the Government during any financial year, and as £ISOO was being borrowed for the Auroa road, the Council this year were limited to It was evident •that the Council must at once renew sonic of the bridges. There were thus two alternatives —either to reduce the amount they were prepared to spend 011 the bridges, or wait on the Advances Board and the Minister of Finance in connection with the matter and ask that under the special circumstances tlicv advance the Council the additional money , required. He also thought that they should support Mr. Wilkinson's suggestion relative to £ for £ grant for the Punchu bridge. Cr. Dudley thought that a deputation would be a waste of money. His opinion •was that the coffers in Wellington were empty. The chairman thought that if (he Advances Department understood the position they would not oppose it. Several bridge's required renewal at once.

Cr. McNeill: It is absolutely necessary that tlio Pimehu bridge should be attended to at once. On the motion of Crs. Harvey and Forsyth it was resolved that the chairman and clerk be appointed ■;■ imputation to wait 011 the State Ad' •>■> Department and the Minister n;" Ki nance in connection with the bridge loan, and on the Minister of Finance regarding a £ for £ grant to the Punehu bridge.