A BREEZY INTERLUDE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3058, 20 April 1917, Page 12

A BREEZY INTERLUDE

THE CASE AGAIN ■ ■• / A COMPLETE WITHDRAWAL _■ \ Once more the "fence-jumping case"came up for discussion at yesterday's meeting of the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. Objection was taken to no mention being made-by the - Public Health Committee, when that , committee was instructed by the board to bring down a report: The Hey. .Van Staveren (chairman of committee) said there was nothing to report on and no report.- The chairman inferred that' the committee was flouti-'g the board, and he did not. know whether..- they j should not pass. a. vote .of censure on the committee for not reporting and giving the information desired. It was conduct unbecoming of-such a committee. •••■".'''• . • ' •:-."■ Mr. J. W.M'Ewan suggested a.resolution bo passed regretting the statement which had been •' made .in: the Press.. He said that'the man chieflyconcerned, a returned soldier, had taken the board'to taslc for -the statement, and had asked the board either to. .apologise or prosecute ;liim. . Tha committee concerned had been asked to bring down! a resolution . which■■'■ they could ..approve,,- but.instead : it 'had treated, the boaid with" contempt. He thought: that the. mail's, letter deserve ed a respectful reply. •.- As jgj allegation hal certainly been -maae.against? a returned'soldier, * and it- should be met,-. ■"•' '■'-.'■■ ".-,- '. : ""-\". ; - ; '.'■'-.\' -■ The'Rev.H.VanStaveren said that .' he did not dbicct'to the resolution. He did jiot care that .much for it (snapping ; his'-fingers)', but'ho■ did' think'-a great deal was being' made out of, nothing.--The chairman. usually said four times or. .ten .times-as, much-as. he .need, and as of ten.as snot/did not. understand himself. :.. '. .-. ~ ."-": -.-.-'- ; The Rev. Dr. Elliott here-interposed| protesting-'that- the" speaker was 1 - not treating -Fhe --chair-' respectfully'. _- 'Mr. Van Staveren continued liis re-, marks in a somewhat personal vein, and was stopped by the cliairman, who threatened him .with'.the Standing Orders'. ■ '■''-.• -.''■''■ Mr. .C. M. Luke:: "Mr. Van Staveren is only making an election speeoh." —Mr; Van Staveren then gave .-a resume of the case;-stating-that it had been- admitted "that the man did- not jump the fence. -What further- could. they do? Mr. M'Ewan: '"Apologise!" Mr.- Van Staveren: "Apologise for jWhatPffllc did not accuse him of jumping- the fence, and we- can't apologise for the- man having-contracted-.scarlet fever ;from his .wife." (Laughter.) ■ Mr.-M'Ewanthen : moved: "That the board'expresses regret that a. state-ment-appeared in the Press accusing a person .'of 3 .serious breach of .the board's-regulations, and that the board withdraws-tlie. same." : •' ■ ■ This -was carried--unanimously, and the'incident-closed... - : ■■■