_PathLocale and __collate_load_tables()

Hi,

there is a char *_PathLocale = NULL; in ./newlib/libc/locale/locale.c
that is only read in __collate_load_tables()
in ./newlib/libc/posix/collate.c
I have looked at the git history and even googled but I couldn't figure
out at all what the variable is supposed to be used for. Half of
__collate_load_tables() would be unreachable if _PathLocale is never
non-null. And then I looked at where __collate_load_tables() is used...
and it seems to be not used within the library itself at all, and from
the __ prefix I'd assume it's not really meant to be used externally
(although it has a prototype in collate.h).

Is this all just dead code or what am I missing? :)

-- 
Kind regards/Mit freundlichen Grüßen, Stefan Tauner