HOSPITAL BOARD ELECTIONS.

Feilding Star, Volume X, Issue 66, 1 December 1888, Page 3

HOSPITAL BOARD ELECTIONS.

TO THR KDITOU OF THE STAK > — I was much surprised on reading your report of Mr Haybittle's remarks at the Council meeting for the election of a member of the Hospital Board on Wednesday last. Mr Goodbehere was merely authorised to nominate me for election, and inform the Council of my willingness to stand, as I could hear of no other candidate offering himself. He had previously asked me, which as a member ofthe electing body he had a perfect right to do, whether I would consent to he nominated. I answered I would prefer representing Feilding to representing Oroua County, as I have larger interests in the township. Had I known there was another candidate, especially oue so well fitted from his profession as Dr Monckton for a member of a Hospital Board, I should not have dreamt of offering my services. So far from there being any competition for seats on the Hospital Board, the experience has been in districts distant from Wanganui that there are few who are prepared to give the neceseary time and trouble, or to go to the expense of attending meetings in that town. Feilding may, therefore, consider itself fortunate in getting a representative like'Dr Monckton. My surprise was, as I have said, great when I read that Mr Haybittle had protested againßt everything being thrust on Mr Macarthur, thus preventing others from becoming familiar with the working of other pubhc bodies. The only capacity in which I represent Feilding is in that of a member of the General Assembly. So far trom attempting or wishing to monopolise public positions, I have of late years "withdrawn from many I formerly occupied in the Borough Council, School Committee, &c. My last acceptance of a municipal office was when the Borough finances were in a mess, at the pressing invitation of a pubhc meeting, and especially of Mr Haybittle himself at that meeting. Having helped in the initiatory steps of almost every pubhc institution in the town in past years, I have been quite content of late to let younger men come, to the front, and have refrained for some time past from even voting in municipal or School Committee elections until Wednesday last. Mr Haybittle has, of course, a right to his opinion on my fitness for pubhc positions in Feilding, but when engaged in finding a substitute he should show a little consistency. During the whole of the Mayoral contest he has been as a supporter of MrGoobehere, eloquently and persistently urging that Dr Monckton was unfit for the Mayoral chair. I presume he was sincere in saying this, but, if so, how does he reconcile his action in support of Dr M. for a seat on the Hospital Board on the very day ofthe Mayoral election ? If his arguments re the Mayoralty were Bound, they were even more applicable to the seat ior the Hospital Board. That Board has large and important interests entrusted to it, and Mr H. should have remembered that special care was necessary in choosing a, member, as the. Hospital and Charitable Aid Board has to deal with the. sick and needy, a class of persons who are not usually able to protect themselves from maladministration as effectually as the ratepayers of a Borough. — I am, &c, D. H. Macarthur.