HOSPITAL SUPPLIES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 18, 20 October 1944, Page 5

HOSPITAL SUPPLIES

QUESTION OF PURCHASE BOARD'S ATTITUDE DEFINED

* NOTICE OF MOTION FAILS

Notice of motion that he intended to move for the rescinlion -of the decision of the Board' to authorise the secretary to purchase supplies in future to the "beslt advantage to the was spokeni to with considerable force by Mr H. C. McCready at the meeting of the Whakatane Hospital Board' last Thursday. Although, the debate was long and involved the oultcome was the signal defeat of the mover -and the decision of the Board 1 to stand by its original motion, A letter under the same head

and requesting a statement was received from the Chamber of

Commerce.

Speaking to his notice Mr McCready said that the decision of the, Board to deal with wholesalers outside the town t over the heads of their own ratepayers was consistent with their actions of the past. He described the, Board as parsimoniously appearing to administrate fairly • and yet at the same time of 'put ting one across' the very people who Itept them going. Had there be,ei: any complaints about the. service of the loeal tradesmen —no ! The Board had received a 5 per cent discounl off all its orders, a hanflsome con sideration which it ought ,to appreciate. If farmers could be offered such a concession on all their purchases, they would cheerfully take sixpence, per pound less for butterfat right away. He. was not cham pioning the local businessmen bul rather the principle. Trade whicl: had been given and appreciated with .good was being deliberately to Auckland where nobody cared a tin of fish whether the /hospital sunk or swam. I't Avas i ;sad state of affairs if the little bit 'Of profit that was being made war ranted taking the trade, to Auckland. ~

The secretary (Mr A. Bridger) ex plained that though supplies and service were there, were •certain lines which could not be purchased locally in quantities Tvhich would meet the. nee.ds of the institution. There was no intention to pass over the local firms if the were available in the required quantities. Mr Caulfield said it. was nice tc •see Mr McCready concerned about the local ratepayers, but he wonder•ed if it were the only motive he had in bringing the. matter forward. He understood that in these days of .shortages and rationed goods many of. the local firms did not welcomc large orders. He thought that the little saving in buying from Auck land should have been; commendet' hy Mr not criticised. The chairman expressed the same saying that as much air the Board desired to support local if it could see its way clear to benefit the ratepayers in any direction it should do so. With the consumption of the hospital go ing up with the daily occupied beds, it was necessary to have, these goods on hand in quantities which coulc not be supplied locally.

Mo* McGougan pointeel out tha' . -becauSe. the hospital was situated in Whakatane it el'id not follow that the town should get the business; there was a large, hospital district involved.

As he interpreted the motion Mi -Mullins thought that it merely gave the secretary discretionary power; to j>urchase the, variety and quan tity of supplies, m the process of carrying this out } they could not help hurting somebody. The Boare 1 had to study the cost from a ratepayer's point of view, and if the ratepayers themselves could not compete or supply the quantities need ed for the efficient running of the hospital, then the Board hael nc choice, but to go past them. Therewas the question also that, if by getting them from outside the. Board enabled, greater quantities of food stuffs to be distributed locally ii was .doing the community a service. Mr McCre,ady in replying said he was far from convinced. He hae 1 never known before that th e hospital was so short of gooels owing tc the difficulty of local purchases. If this had been a Avhy had not it been brought to the Board's, notice before.. It was an important subject and should have been.brought to their notice. He had been criticised for not wanting to conserve money it was not the. few miserable pounds to be saved in this respect lie was concerneel about but rather

the thousands which the Board wai throwing down - the sink. Whal about the standby plant? or the boiler which was as old as the, chairman? If money was to be voted for the benefit of patients he would vote for it but not for a thing that winched. a few pounds from the local shopkeepers. Having larger quantities of foodstuffs on hand in the. hospital, would he declared make for even greater wastage.

The motion on being put to the meeting was Mr Caul field rev joining 'a, lot of waste time, for nothing.' The matter of writing to the Chamber of Commerce was left to the secretary.

Mr Mullins: The position remains if the local dealer can give us the same servicc then we will be quite prepared to deal with him as far as I'm concerned.