THE DAIRY FARM

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2422, 30 March 1915, Page 6

THE DAIRY FARM

HOSPITAL BOARD PROBLEM

A STORMY MEETING

QUESTION TO GO TO LOCAL BODIES

A MEMBER RESIGNS

The proceedings at the meeting of the Hospital Board held yesterday to discuss the estimates for tho coming year, and also the proposal to purchase a dairy farm for the use of the Hospital wero occasionally stormy. The following members were present at tho meeting:— The Rev. Vi\ A. Evans (chairman), Dr. I'latts-Mills, Mrs 1). M'Larai, the Rev. Dr. Elliott, the Rev. H. Van Staveren, Dr. T. W. MacKenzie, Messrs. tl. Baldwin, F. Castle, D. Campbell, W. Galloway, B. R. Gardener, J. W. M'liwan, D. M'Larcn, D. Robertson, and J. Smith. In Committee. The chairman moved that the estimates bo taken in committee. Messrs. F. Castle and B. R. Gardener protested against this course. Dr. Elliott said that in liis opinion the board would be well advised to give the fullest publicity to all their discussions. Tho public were becoming uneasy lest something was being hidden.

This opinion was strongly supported by Mr. Van Staveren, and the motion was defeated.

Mr. M'Ewan asked on how many occasions the Press had been allowed to report the discussions on the milkfarm proposal. Mr. D. Robertson declared that the whole matter had been dealt with in a hole-and-corner manner. Dr. Elliott rosft to speak on the same question, but tho chairman ruled that discussion on it was not then in order.

Mr. Robertson said the hoard wanted a chairman that would give fair pla.v ; i

Mr. M'Laren protested against this remark, saying that it 'was an insult not only to the chairman, but to tlie board. Tlie chairman, however, asked that no noticc he taken of it, and that closed that incident, and tho hoard then proceeded to discuss tlie estimates without more ado. Conditional Consent. AVhen the question of the purchase of the dairy farm came up for consideration tho chairman read a letter from the Minister of Public Health (the Hon. R. H. Rhodes), in which the Minister stated that he was prepared to sanction the expenditure of £8500 for the purchase of a dairy-farm if the local bodies contributing to the board approved of the scheme. The Minister pointed out that his decision to withhold consent in tho meantime was in accordance with the letter and spirit of the law, and he quoted the Act to show that the estimates of such expenditure should bo submitted to the local bodies.

The chairman said that in the meantime a milk supply would have to be provided for the Hospital, and this raised the question of the three tenders for milk supply which the board had received. The contract under which milk was at present supplied expired nn March 31, and ho suggested that a shrfrt-term contract should be arranged. This could be done with the consent of one of the firms tendering, and the consent had been obtained. Ho moved the adoption of the following recommendations of the Financo Committee :— (1) That Messrs. J. W. M'Ewan, D. M'Laron, H. Baldwin (treasurer), and jho Rev. TV. A. Evans (chairman) be a special committee to prepare a. statement for submitting to the local contributory bodies in connection, with the board's proposal" re purchase of Hospital dairy-farm. (2) That the matter of arranging for supply of milk for OhiroHome,. Wellington Hospital, and its institutions, from April 1 proximo, be left with the committee." Filled With Alarm. Dr. Elliott said he had discussod the farm project with people who knew about dairy farming, and had been assured by them that there would be less chance of the Hospital obtaining pure milk from its own farm than from outside suppliers, provided the milk was regularly and efficiently tested. He would like to be assured that the invalids and the children in the Hospital had pure milk supplied to them, but ho pointed 'out that the board had not made a signal success of their poultry farm. He referred also to • a letter which had appeared in a city newspaper in which,reference was made to the quality of the land of which the farm the board proposed to buy was composed. The statements in the letter filled him with alarm.

Mr. Gardener suggested that the letter might have been written by a member, of the board.

, Dr. Elliott said that at least ho had had nothing to do with the letter, but ho warned the board that members were not all expert farmers, and that they should go warily.

Mr. M'Ewan asked how many times discussion of the milk farm had been takon in open board. He considered that tho Press had bad amplo opportunities to ventilate all details of the proposal. (Voices: "No.) The secretary said that tho question had been discussed-in open board four times. I

Mr. M'Ewan argued that the board would be more likely to get pure milk for the Hospital from their own farm than from a contract supplier. The first steps had been taken iu the matter of the purchase of tho farm after certain inspections had been made by Dr. Platts Mills. That was a year ago. The Government inspectors had found that some milk supplied to the Hospital was poor in quality. But they had not prosecuted. He considered the Department lax in the carrying out of their duties in this regard, and he did not consider that the supervision of the supply could safely be left in their hands. ' Purs milk must bo obtained for the institution, and he considered the milk farm scheme the best ever proposed by the board. The Closure and a Resignation. Mr. D. Robertson said that the Press had not had an opportunity of hearing tho discussion on the farm purchase. No reporters had beon present when tfho first discussion took place. ' Mr. Gardener moved "that the tion bo now put," and Dr. MacKenzie protested strougly._ He was not, of course, in order in discussing that motion, and the chairman would not allow him to speak. Whereupon Dr. MacKeuzie said: "On your own head be it." The motion that the question be put having been carried, the chairman put the first part of the motion, with tho addition to tho committee of Dr. J. K. Elliott. Dr. MacKenzie: I hereby resign my position on tho board. Do you want to hear my reasonsP Mr. Evans: Do you desire to hear Dr. MacKenzio's reasons? Voices:. No. Dr. MacKenzie: You are a lot of cowards. You are afraid to listen to me. You know very well what I was going to say. Dr. MaclCenzio then walked towards the door. Three times before he withdrew ho said in tones of , increasing loudness: "Good-byo, Mr. Chairman," but the chairman did not reply! Tho motion was carried, and tho meeting dispersed,