Hospital Disturbed By Auckland Car Racing

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28261, 26 April 1957, Page 16

Hospital Disturbed By Auckland Car Racing

‘The Press” Special Service

AUCKLAND, April 25.

The medical superintendent of the Green Lane Hospital (Dr. C B. Gilberd) complained to the One Tree Hill Borough Council that the noise of stock-car racing at the Epsom Show Grounds seriously upset many patients at the hospital. The noise from the loudspeakers and the dispersing public was most disturbing.

Dr. Gilberd said also that a considerable number of noisy per sons flocked through the hospital grounds as' a short cut to their cars parked in the paddock adjoining the nurses’ home. They appeared unmindful of the distress to the sick caused by their noise late at night. He had appealed to the stock car organisation to ask its patrons to reduce the noise, but this had been fruitless. Because of this he had “reluctantly but definitely" to request the council to cancel the organisation’s permit.

The Town Clerk (Mr I_ A. Webb) told the council that when the application for stock-car racing was received in 1955 the borough solicitor had given his opinion that the council was bound to issue a licence as long as standards of safety and hygiene were maintained.

It could not impose conditions regarding noise, but could cancel the licence if the grounds were used in a disorderly manner, so as to be obnoxious to the neighbouring inhabitants or the public. In the solicitor’s opinion, any actions at common law for injunctions should be taken by the hospital board or other neighbouring inhabitants. After general discussion, the Mayor, Mr F._W. L. Milne, said: “I think we are all sympathetic to the hospital, but the show grounds are there and so there must be shows or sports on the grounds.” It was decided to advise the hospital authorities of the council’s position and suggest that they meet the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association, which controlled the grounds, to see if the noise could be abated. The council offered the assistance of its traffic officer to help to disperse the crowds.