THE HOSPITAL COMMITTEE AFFAIR

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1690, 18 October 1887, Page 3

THE HOSPITAL COMMITTEE AFFAIR

— ♦- A "BREEZE" IN THE BOROUGH OOUNOIL, It will be remembered that at the last meeting of the Borough Council there wu a " breeze " In regard to a now con■tUutlon of Committees proposed by Or H. Frlediander. A matter that then transpired again cropped up at last evening's meeting of the Oonnoil. When the correspondence had been disposed of, Cr Hugo Frledlauder said that he desired to make a personal ex planation. It was a very painfal duty he had to perform. At the last meeting of the Council he had been the mover of a resolution m regard to ths appointment of ft Hospital Committee. After his reply, the Mayor bad good-na'.ut-edly allowed Or Harriion and another Councillor to ■peak. He took no notice of these remarks, made after his reply at tha; meeting, but he had heard remarks aoousing him, to a certain extent, of corruption — that he desired to have Cr Harrison off tha Committee for a certain Surpote, which was because Or Harrison id not think proper to support a tender Bent m to the Hospital Committee by oje with whom be (Or Friedlander) was supposed to be oonneoted. He did not wish to occupy the time of the Oonnoil, and he would ask Or Harrison if he had anything to say m explanation, otherwise he (Or Friedlander) would move m the matter. Or Harrison making no response for a few moment*, Or Friedlander said that if he wished time for consideration he would allow the matter to stand over till later m the evening Or Harrison asked what the Mayor's ruMng was. He wished to know If a debate were to po on between Cr Friedlander and himself. The Mayor said that a Councillor feelIng himself aggrieved was at liberty to bring the matter under the notice of the Gonooil. Or Harrison said that Oi H. Friedlander had put what he (Or Harrl«on) had aaid at last meeting, m a very different light to the correct one. He never acouaed Or Friedlander of corruption. He made the remark that a certain gentleman said to him on the platform, "You threw cold water on my tender. " Cr B. Friedlander, In a heated manner, had called opon him to withdraw, but he was m a position to prove that the remark he had repeated had been made to him by the gentleman he bad referred to. He had thrown no cold water on any tender, but he had always done his best to cause the lowest tenders to be accepted. Be had piven the remark as he heard it, and as others heard it. It was true that the gentleman he had referred to, had subsequently waited on him, and stated that wnat be said was: "Did yon throw cold water on my tender?" The voting of Councillors at last meeting shewed that they had confidence m him as their representative. He thought it strange that one of the three Committees he had been a member of Or Friedlander had only sought to change him on one — the Hospital Committee— when he (Or Friedlander) had just stated that Ors should be changed on the various Committees every twelve months. He had thought this strange, and htd said that Or Friedlander wished to see him off that particular Committee, bnt he never Imputed corruption to the Councillor or made usa of any word like It. He saw nothing m what he had said that would justify anyone m asking for an apology Or H. Friedlander read the report of the proceedings of the Council that had appeared m the Mail, and he said that no Councillor could read it without implying anything else than that Or Harrison had made a charge against him. Cr Harrison had never contradicted the report, but had let it go oat to the public. If the report were not correct let Cr Harrison say this. This wbb all that he wanted, but falling thU he would move further. Or Harrison said that be nothing fnrther to say. He had done his duly to the best of his ability. Or H. Friedlander moved, " That the Mayor, Ors Williamson and Roberta be a Committee to investigate the charges made against me by Or Harrison." Cr H. Friedlander intimated that he would reduoe tbe charges to writing, when at the suggestion of the Mayor the matter was allowed to stand over till later m the evening. At a later stage m the meeting Cr H. Triedlander moved a resolution, the tenor of which has been indicated above. The Mayor said the motion wta a moßt peculiar one. He did not reoolleot any -hiDg similar coming before the Council previously. He would put it to the meeting whether Or H. Friedlander should have permission to move. Tfce Mayor then put the following motion. " That Cr Friedlander have permission to move his resolution." This was carried. Or H. Friedlander, m speaking to his motion, said that be bad given Ci Harrison tbe opportunity of saying the repoit was not justified, but he had not the manliness to do so. He had taken advantage of a mistake — If it was a mis take—detrimental to another Councillor, and allowed it to remain In the minds ot the burgesses. He thought that he was justified m asking for an explanation; Cr Friedlander was proceeding when Or Harrison said that he took exception tn the paper as an authority. Councillors had been present and had heard what had transpired. Or H. Friedlander said that the burgesses bad not been present. Cr Harrison bad not written to vhe paper denying the accuracy of the report. He prided himself on having done something smart. Or Harrison raid that Cr Frlediander was not justified m saying that which he had. Be did not pride himself m the manner which was attributed to him; Or H. Friedlander asked why Or Harrison did not contradict the report. Crßarrlson said that Cr Friedlander must ' know that there were heaps of things m the papers that were wrong. Was he to correct them all ? After some further discussion, and the Mayor having suggested that Councillors might speak one at a time} Or H. Friedlander said that he did not wish to waste time Did Or Harrison make the remarks attribnted to him 1 He (Or Friedlander) knew no more about the tender that had been referred to than the Inkstand. Or Harrison said that he regretted if he had given Or Friedlander any pain. He had felt hurt at the time, and he regretted if he had hart Or Friedlander'! feelings. Or Frledlapder said that he wantec Or Harrison to say that the report wai not oorrect. His feelings were not hurl by another Oouncilior saying what wai not right. Cr Harrison said again that he had made no obarge. Or Friedlander said that if Or Harrison said the report was not correct he was satisfied, and after a few further remarks, be atked leave to withdraw his motion. Or 8.- Friedlander then moved that the Hospital Committee representing the Council prod dob tbe minutes and tenders m coDneotlon with tbe tenders for tbe Hospital. He said that he had been -"•tasted to this step by remarks ttsuoh had fallen from Councillor «ffon at last meeting. He had stated that at that meeting if the Conn- • i-jut withdrew the remarks he had made I* "Empties to a firm of which he (Or JfoMCllander) was a member, he would gtre him his vote towards reappoiotiog Elm on the Committee. He would s»y that Or Harrison bad been a very energetic member of the Committee ; m feet, too nyoh 96, for hli ttergy had }od hjpi

. tn'D ti--mVo. H' (Or Friedlander) thought tout liirt justified him m ra Mug m the d'.rootion he had indicated. G-: Harrison said he would second the motion, And he would also like to Bay a few words on it. Ho had heard that . there had beou eomo dissatisfaction out [ side, and at the lust meeting <f the ' Hospital Committee bo had moved — and . although there was some objection at 6 rat | it was ultimately carried — that tenders . should be open to Inspection, and now anyone desiring to see any tender could do bo on application to the Secretary to I the Committee. ' The Mayor said that It seemed to him ( that the motion was asking more than : the Council could reasonably expect. He ' thought that the Council should be : satisfied with a report by Ub representatives, and for his part he was prepared i to give a report at onoe. Whan ( tenders were received, the Committee m all cases accepted the lowest. The . Committee was quite alive to the reßpon- ' slbility which rested upon it, and made : the best possible ueo of the fnnds en- , trusted to it. he thought the Council should be B&tlefied with what he had atatod, and he had no doubt Or Harrison wonld bear him out m what he Bald. Or Tucker thought they no right to ask what the motion required. It would be as rational for a meeting, outside the ' OounoU, to call on one Councillor to glva , sn Bcoonnt of what had transpired at one ; of the Council's Committee meetings. Beside this It was also an insult to the t Oonnty Council, which body bad three . members on the Hospital Committee. I At this stage a heated dieouaeion took place between Or Harrison and Or R. Friedlander m reference to a remark, inaudible at the reporter's table, which fell from the latter gentleman. [ Or H Friedlander thought that Or Tucker's remarks were to the point. Or Williamson did not agree with Or Tuoker that the Council had no right to ask for what information it required m regard to the Hospital Onmmit'ee, but at the same time he vms satisfied with the , explanation that had been made by the . Mayor. The matter had been a dia- > agreeable one, and he he h >ped now thai it hed been arranged the motion would I be withdrawn. Or H. Friodlander had { been quite justified m taking up the position that he had, for until the contrary was proved, no one had any right to assume that a Councillor m whatever he did, was aoting m otherwise than a hona fide manner. He hoped that now, however, that the motion now before the meeting would ba withdrawn, and that there would be an end of the matter. Or Williamson then resumed his seat, but a moment later rose, and said, presumably m regard to Borne remark made b> a Councillor : I wtah, Mr Mayor, you )rould once end for all stop thli yabbering and side-talk. It is the privilege of every Councillor to rite to bis feet and address the Oouncil, and I, for one, protest against this side-talk being allowed after a Councillor has finished his remarks. Ok Reid stated his intention to vote against the motion, although he agreed with Or Williamson that the Oouncil was justified m seeking any Information it required. Or R. Fiiedlander replied at some length, and at the conclusion of his speech asked leave to withdraw hia motion. This was granted, and the matter then dropped.