either for or against. By the Act re ferred to a fund of L 200,000 was set apart for works on main roads within the Colony. In order to participate in this fund the County Councils had to prepare plans and specifications, to gether with estimates of the cost of the works they wished carried out under the Act. These hacl to be submitted to the Minister of Public Works for his approval, along with an application for a grant to meet the cost. In the event of it being found that the provisions of the Act had been complied with as to plans, &c, the Minister would grant the application and issue his certificate for payment of the whole cost of the works, provided the aggregate claims by the various Counties did not exceed the L 200,000 set apart to meet these, the Counties having to repay to the Government a fourth of the amount thus granted. In the event of the claims exceeding the L 200,000 then the Act provided for this sum being paid to the Counties pro ratd according to the amount of their respective claims. It was found that the aggregate claims of the Counties far exceeded the amount available, and that it only ad mitted of three-eighths of each claim being paid. The Clutha County Coun cil applied for L 32,000, and the Minis ter has agreed to pay the three-eighths, or L 12,005. We have said that the County has to repay one-fourth, or L3OOO, of this sum. This repayment may be made in either of two ways ; (1) Were the Council in funds and prepared at once to pay the L3OOO, then the Minister would issue his cer tificate for the L9OOO, and the works could immediately be proceeded with ; or (2) In the event of the Council not being in a position to pay the L3OOO, then the Government would take de bentures for that amount, the same to be paid by ten yearly instalments, without interest, provided the rate payers by vote agree to a special rate being levied sufficient to meet these annual payments. 