HOSPITAL BOARD VACANCY

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 146, 16 March 1939, Page 10

HOSPITAL BOARD VACANCY

City Council Considers Two Nominations

MR. GAUDIN ELECTED

Labour Party Now In Minority The appointment of Cr. W. J. Gaudin to fill the vacancy on the hospital board, caused by the death of Mrs. S. E. O. Snow, was made bv the Wellington City Council last night. Airs. R. Al. Collins, who is not a member of the council 'but who was a Labour candidate for the board at the election in Alay, was also nominated. Supporting the nomination of Airs. Collins, Labour councillors urged that she be given preference over Cr. Gaudin who had not been a candidate. Cr. Gaudin was elected by nine votes to four. The board now consists of 10 Citizen and eight Labour members. Before Airs. Snow’s death each party had equal representation, the chairman’s casting vote giving a Labour majority. The mayor, Mr. Hislop, said tlie council had a free and unfettered right of appointment. At annual conferences of the Municipal Association it had frequently stressed the desirability of councils having direct representation on various boards, but that was a matter the association was carrying forward to the proper quarter.

"’The question before us at the moment is: Who .should be appointed?” continued Mr. Hislop. "I think tlie proper thing to do is to hear the views of councillors. We want to see that fairness is done and that the person who is selected is well fitted to carry out his duties on the board.” Cr. R. L. Mnealister said they all deplored the circumstances that had brought about tlie vacancy. The late Mrs. Snow had performed notable service on the hospital board and her untimely death was deeply regretted. In filling the vacancy, one could not help but feel that they must take into consideration that a large proportion of the cost of running tlie hospital was borne by the corpora Hon. “Ever-increasing Bill.” “Each year we find ourselves presented -with a huge and ever-increasing hill for the maintenance of the institution and al] we have to do is simply to pay it," said Cr. Macalister. "It seems to me the time lias arrived when we should take a greater interest in the board, seeing we have to pay so much toward tlie upkeep of the hospital. Could we not have a direct representative. a councillor who would be a sort of liaison officer?” Cr. Mnealister said he had pleasure in proposing Cr. Gaudin. He was sure that his appointment would be of benefit to the board as well as to the council. Cr. R. A. Wright, who seconded the motion, said lie agreed with Cr. Maealister that tlie council was called upon to pay an enormous sum each year without having a say in tlie expenditure of the money. It was time tlie council took a more active interest in the affairs of the board. lie was glad to support Cr. Gaudin’s nomination because he felt lie could be relied upon to do what was fair and just. Cr. P. M. Butler: It’s not fair to ask any member of a public body to accept a seat in such circumstances. Surely tlie most democratic tiling is to follow tlie lead given by the Municipal Corporations Act and appoint the next highest candidate at the last board election. Cr. Gaudin was not even a candidate and. much as I respect him, I don’t think lie should accept nomination. I move as an amendment that Mrs. R. M. Collins. . . . Several councillors: Mrs. Collins was not next on the list. Cr. Butler: No. but it is a woman’s vacancy and Mrs. Collins has already had a term on tlie board and has demonstrated her ab'ility. She missed election by only a few votes. Mayor Approached. Seconding the amendment, Cr. McKeen, M.P., said he understood that the mayor had been approached by representatives of the Labour Representation Committee in Wellington. the facts being placed before him on behalf of tlie committee by Cr. Brindle. Mr. Holland, the next candidate on the list, would have preferred to see Mrs. Collins appointed, as she had been a member before. Cr. Wright: So bad Mr. UoJiand ■Cr. McKeen said that if tlie council decided that it were a question of next on tlie list. Mr. Holland would step forward. Tlie precedent of next on (lie list should tie adhered to. A councillor: Wlial about Mr. Macalister? Mr. McKeen: What about Mrs. Semple? She was appointed because she was next on the list.

Cr. L. McKenzie: Not on the council. Ur. McKeon: No, on the hospital board. I don't think it fair for a councillor to accept nomination when he was not a candidate. Mrs. Collins was, and she was a close runner-up. Let’s be unanimous and do the right thing.

Supporting Mrs. Collins's nomination, Cr. Chapman. M.P., said the position as he saw it was that the ratepayers’ association and not Hie council desired another representative on the board.

Or. Butler: Why bring that up? Cr. Chapman': liecause it’s evidence. Cr. Gaudin: Aren't they on'itled to bv statute?'

Cr. Clmpin.’in: There is something bevoml that- lhere is equity and principle. The suggestion has been made that this council has to bear a considerable proportion of the cost of the

upkeep of the hospital, but it has to bear only an infinitesimal proportion. The council doesn’t bear tlie cost, but Hie ratepayers. Cr. McKenzie: The city corporation. Cr. Chapman: The corporation is simply an agent. Labour representatives were elected in an overwhelming majority at tlie last board election. The mayor: They were level, but the chairman had two votes. Ballot Taken.

Cr. Chapman: As far as Wellington i.s concerned, Labour candidates . were returned in an overwhelming majority, but that was reduced when the representatives of contributing bodies weie elected. The council should, therefore, follow the wishes of Hie Wellington electors and appoint Mrs. Collins. Cr. McKeon asked Hie mayor if he had given an assurance to the Labour Representation Committee that be would support the nomination of Mrs. Collins. The mayor: Cr. Brindle asked if Mrs. Collins could be considered as next on the list. I told him that the idea of next on the list appealed to me, but that Hie question would have to be considered by the council.

On a secret ballot, Cr. Gaudin was nominated by 8 voles to 5. Cr. MeKeen asked for a division on the motion that Cr. Gaudin lie elected and this was carried by I) votes to 4. Those who voted for the motion were the mayor, and Crs. Appleton, Duncan. Fraser, Gaudin, Luekie, Maealister. McKenzie, and Wright. The noes were Crs. Butler, Chapman. McKeon. and Semple. At the local body elections in May last, Mr. R. Holland (L.) was dis; placed for last place among city representatives at the hospital board table, on a recount, by Mr. -1. Crawford (C.), who had 111,119 votes to Mr. Holland’s 19.000. Next: to Mr. Holland came Mrs. R. M. Collins (L.l, with 18,29(1 votes.