HOSPITAL GRIEVANCE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1740, 3 May 1913, Page 9

HOSPITAL GRIEVANCE.

REDUCTION OF PALMERSTON BOARD. HON. R. H. RHODES INTERVIEWED.' 2 REPRESENTATION TO BE RESTORED Protest against the reduction in strength of the Palmerston Nortß Hospital Board from fifteen members to ten was made by a deputation, consisting of four members of that body, which was introduced to the Hon. R. H. Rhodes yesterday by Mr. D. Buick, M.P. Dr. Valintine, Inspector-General of Hospitals, was present. The members of tho deputation were Mr. J. A. Nash (Mayor of Palmerston North), Mr. J. Vincent, who represents Oroua County on tho board, Mr. J. K. Hornblow, who represents Manawatu County, and Mr. W.. btubbs, secretary to tho board.

Mr. Nash 6aid that the pcoplo of the district were quito satisfied that the Minister had tho right, : under the Act, to alter tho representation on the board, but at the samo time they felt that they had a very strong grievance. It had been at first proposed that the representation of KairaJiga County should ho reduced from two members to one member, but the Minister had siuco reconsidered his decision,' and decided that lvairanga should retain its two members. Palinereton Borough had been reduced froni four members to two. The borough members received no remuneration, and looked foi none. Tho county members, it was true, were a little costly. p Two t received 38s. 2d. for expenses in connection with each meeting, and one received 30s. per meeting. 'l'he reduction in membership would save only <£11 per year. . At. present a total' sum of .£SB per annum was paid to cover the expenses of members who came from a considerable distance to attend board meetings, and of this sum exactly X'll 4s. per annum would be saved by -tho reduction in membership. Taking into consideration that the board expended annually some -£16.000 or .£IB,OOO, the people of the. district felt that there was wisdom in numbers. If this reduction in membership were justified, the same argument might bo applied to the House of Representatives—it might bo reduced from 80 members to 20. ' Further, supporting his protest,' Mh 'Nash said.that a membership of 15 enabled ifo) various contributing local bodies to be represented on the board. ' This would be impossible with a membership of ten. Under tho reduction,. Poxton would, probably be disfranchised altogether, and the;executive of the board would bo inconveniently weakened. The present board was unanimously opposed to the reduction, and the local bodies all round had taken the matter

up. . Mr. Vincent.said that the country ratepayers felt-very uiieasy at the reduction in. representation. The valuation of the .different counties was going up, population was increasing, and expenditure in connection with tho Hospital Board was also increasing. This being so, they could not understand why there should bo a reduction, in representation. It was tho unanimous desire of the board, and of the northern counties which he represented, that the former representation should be restored. representatives who received expenses did not make anything, but lost money by attending t'he meetings of the board. Mr. Hornblow said he agreed with tho members of, the board, who could not understand how the Inspector-General justified thy reduction in membership. Certainly it could not be justified on the ground of economy. Tho district was* extensive, and very closely settled. Two members were now allotted an area of 360 square miles as against three before the redu'otioii took'place. This district was bounded on"tho*nbrth-.by;.tho Rangi* t 4 kei River, and' on the south by tho Manawatu River, and manifestly two members could not give tho attention to its various centres- that threo could give. Instead"bf 'effecting econofay, to reduction in" membership would entail increased expenditure, for it would necessitate visits to different parts of the district bv officers of the board at a oost much greater than tho <£11 which the reduction would save over the district as a whole. Another point was that the loss of a i member by tho soutnern country district meant that lots would have to be drawn to decide which of the three present members should retire. This might k mean loss of the services of Mr. Wilson, chairman of the board, whose retirement would be a loss not only to his own district, but to the Dominion. It might bo. said that the board should decline to sacrifice its chairman, but each of tho three members concerned had to consider that ho had' been retu.vnod to represent his electors for a period of three years, I of which eighteen months had still to run. They recognised that Dr. Valintine was trying lo bring about economy in the administration of hospitals, but they could not seo why Palinerston should be singled out as it had been. Tho Minister made a very brief reply. "When these boards were first constituted," he said, "the districts wero scattered and communication wag not easy, but now that communication has so much improved—and yours is not a very big district for ten members to look after quite easily, and keep in touch with tho districts that thoy represent-looking nt it from that point of view, and from tho point of view of economy, I deemed it advisable to, reduce the boards. Almost all through the Dominion the boards are •too big, and generally they have fallen in with my suggestion. However, you are not prepared- to help me in the maj-' ter, and I don't want to fight you. r want to meet you as far as I can, and I will do so. Tho reduction was mado quite fairly on a proportional basis. I regret that you did not raise your objection at' the time when Dr. Valintine met you. I understood that you had agreed to the reduction."" Mr. Nash: No, sir. Wo havo always objected. 1 l)r. Valintine said that ho wa9 fcorrv this had occurred. His relations with the Palinerston Board had always been pf a cordial nature, and he was distressed to hear that there was any prospect of 1 losing the-excellent services of the chairman of the board. At his last meeting with the board, he had gathered tho impression that it agreed to the reduction with the exception that an extra member for ICairanga County was desirod,

Mr. Stubbs said that the InspectorGeneral had gone away with a wrong impression. The 'board had, it was true, stressed ti.e necessity of giving Kairanga County another member, but, apart from this, objected to the reduction as a whole. Mr. Vincent pointed out that the board had passed a resolution opposing the reduction.-

Dr. Vatintine: That is bo, but, subsequently I understood that you had withdrawn your objection eavo in regard to Kairanga. Mr. liliodes said that he recognised that the members of the board had dona good work, and managed tho affairs of the Palmerston Hospital in a very efficient manner. "You have dwelt upon the services which you havo voluntarily rendered," ho added. "That is universal throughout tho Dominion. "Wo all have to take our turn on local bodies. I have done my share. I ivant to moot you in this matter, and if you think that fifteen members nrc required, and that ten cannot manage the affairs of the Hospital, I shall endeavour to meet you." Messrs. Bu.ick and Nasli thanked' the .Minister for receiving tho deputation and granting its request.