CORRESPONDENCE. A REJOINDER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1988, 25 January 1907, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

A REJOINDER.

To the Editor of tlio Gisborno Times. Sir, —Mr. Robt. Johnstone’s letter commenting on Mr. Stanton’s and my letter. It is hardly necessary ' for me to refer to' Mr. Johnstone’s good work, •as a member of the Board of Trustees, as the public have now been eulight- ' cued by tlie enquiries recently held.. I fail to see where, as a member of Hint Board, Mr. Johnstone has done so much to place the Hospital in such a high standard, or wo would not have the public crying out for a change as at present. Can Air .Johnstone expect the public to believe him when lie says he has never hoard of a complaint? I know of a complaint made to Air. Johnstone some time ago, regarding the management of the Hospital, which was a very serious one, and if necessary can give Mr. Johnstone names. I think Mr. Johnstone lias quite missed the mark when he refers to the figures I quoted, since he feels I have committed a serious wvuiig by overstating tlie number Off members of various lodges in this-fLUstrict. The number I. quoted %' as about 2000, but to be exact, tsjplease Mr. Johnstone, the actual mftmber is 1300, exclusive of a large fKjmber, of members outside lodges,president here, and contribute through: >jtho local societies whose interests are identical with their own. Air. Johnston states that less than half the number were single men, This lie must I;now .ie—incorrect, as a man does not realise the necessity of joining a benefit society until he marries and has others dependent upon him. Now, assuming 1300 members, with 866 wives and 2598 children (or an average of 3, a family) gives a total of 4764, not’ including members of outside lodges, as previously quoted, nor yet their wives and children, so that, Mr. Editor, it can now bo judged as to whether my figures, as previously quoted, are fairly sound. In conclusion I would like to say that I think Air. Johnston should have been one of the first to resent the chairman’s statement, wherein he referred to us as cavillers (or intriguers, etc.), but instead of ibis lie appears to rather champion the cause of mismanagement of Hospital affairs, but of course, Sir, Air. Johnston, has been a Trustee for 12 years, and naturally cannot see any errors in his own administration.— A’ours, etc., MEAIBER.