MEMBER'S REPLACEMENT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 80, 29 May 1946, Page 5

MEMBER'S REPLACEMENT

. HOSPITAL BOARD’S LETTER COUNTY SEEKS LEGAL OPINION In an effort to discover the exact legal position with regard to the replacement of its representative on the Hospital Board (Cr H. C. McCready) the Whakatane County Council yesterday decided to defer the matter for a month. The subject arose on the receipt of the Board’s letter announcing that under the terms of the Hospital and Charitable Institutions Act, Mr H. C. McCready had vacated his office as a Board member and the appointment of a qualified person in his place was sought. The chairman (Mr J. L. Burnett) said it was just possible that Mr McCready might still be eligible. Cr McCready rising to speak said that as the person concerned he would plead partially guilty but not wholly, as he had taken the necessary steps to have the Board notified of his absence. He had had to go away quickly on the understanding that his campaign would only last six weeks. The work however had been considered of such vital importance that he had been asked to carry on. His family had notified the Board from time to time of his enforced absence. He would say that no other member would be treated in the way he had been. He was in the unfortunate position of taking up the cudgets on behalf of the ratepayers at the Board meetings and for that reason alone had been removed. County Councillors knew the ticket upon which most of the Board members were elected. He wanted to say now that not one of their undertakings had been carried out. Repeatedly he had brought up serious complaints and matters for investigation. He had been treated as a joke. He had told them all that they were a lot of yes-men. It was a disgraceful state of affairs ....

The chairman intervened remarking that the matter before the meeting should be confined to the speaker’s resignation.

Cr McCready: I’m coming to that. Everything I know is going to come out -now. The chairman;. We don’t want to hear details of the controversy which has been set up. We are prepared to adjourn this for a month to investigate.

Cr McCready: I’m not blaming the council. I appreciate its position.

The chairman: I think I understand the position perfectly. Cr McCready: If I’d been one of the yes-men I’d have been there now. I took on a job for the farmers, to fight on their behalf and yet it was farmers who booted me out! „

The chairman: As far as we are concerned, the Board has taken a certain action and we must meet it. Cr McCready said that he regarded the action of the Board mainly composed of farmers as the last straw. No one could honestly criticise his honesty of purpose. Cr McCracken pointed out that it was only a courtesy which all local body members should observe, to either apply for leave of absence or when unable to attend meetings to send a written apology. Had this been done this whole unfortunate business would not have arisen. He thought however that the upshot of the subject should serve as an object lesson to all local body members throughout the district. They owed a definite responsibility in this direction. The recommendation as set out above was then decided upon.