HOSPITAL COMMITTEE.

Kumara Times, Issue 722, 22 January 1879, Page 2

HOSPITAL COMMITTEE.

A mpptins; of tin- Hospital Committee was held in the S-wPtary's office last eveniojr. the rlnir), To 1.1, Pollack, Ga.-guillo, O'Fhherty, Sc >tt, M'Kenzie, and o'Hi«an. The minn<**< of the la-»t meeting were rparl and confirmed. Tlip. following letter from the Clerk to the Wes'.land County Council, was read and received : To the President Kumara Hospital, Kumara. Sir—l have the honor to inform yon that the County Council of Westland have passed a vote of £IOO for the Kumara Hospital, for the year 1879, contingent on the Kumara Borough Council subsidising the institution to the extent of £2OO for the same year. Payments will commence in February next (for January), atd will be made monthly, on receipt of intimation from yon that the Kumara Borough Council are contributing the amount mentioned. I have, <fcc, H. R. Rae. Countv Council Chambers, Hokitika, Jan. 13th, 1879. The Secretary was instructed to forward the above letter to the Borough Council. A letter was also Authorized to he sent to the Superintendent of the Cirey River Hospital, and also the Secretary of the Hokitika Hospital, askinsj what patients in those institutions hplonging to Knnura were cflp«b'e of being removed to rhe local Hospital. Mr (VHa«»an was appointed Treasurer, in place of Mr Barron (who had left the district).

It was resolved that until fresh thrillers are .called for, all drugs h« procured from Mr Tom«, the present contractor for the suppl v of medir-ine-i, and that Dr. Hnxtahle'be notified to that effect.

Notice of motion was given by thChairman, for next meeting, that fresh tendeis lie called fir t'.e supply of all necessaries for the Hospital. The tenders of Messrs D. Davidson and Co. f>r the supply of blankets was accepted.

The meeting then adjourned for one week.

KUMAR\ BUSINESS LICENSES. At a sppcial meeting of the Borough Conn.-il, held last Thursday evening re'a ive to the action of the (.overn-iii-nt in issuing instruetions to the

Police rewarding t.ie non-enforcement of the l.«w in regard to haziness licenses* a mntion .was carried tliat the whole matter resf.ecffully referred to the Mi Mister of Justice. For the ,inform** tion of tho.se affected as well as the burgesses generally we publish a copy of the letter forwarded in accordance with the relation of the Council : The Hon. the Minister op Jpstics, Wellington.

s ir —lam instructed by the Boron «h Council of Kuniara to bring the follow* ing circumstances under your consideration :

Under the "Mines Act, 1877," all person.* carrying 0.-i business or occupy, ing busines ■ sites in a milling district, are required under a penalty, to hold business licenses, and it has bpen the duty of the police in this district to en* f »rce this law.

The fe<*s paid by business license are, under the " Financial Arrange mania Act Amendment Act, 1877," payable to fie Rorougli 4 in which they are collected, and in th- rase of Kuniara they form a considerable part of the revenue of the boron«h.

The B>rou-:h Counoi'., finding that a iinmlie- of persons have for the last two months Keen currying on business and 0.-.cnpvinjr town section's without holdin" ••nsiness licenses, made inquiries of tin* polio- a-! to why they had not inforced the law, and have been informed that they have instruction* not to do HO. V

The Borough Council have been informed hy Dr. Giles that these instructions haw been given in consequence of representation!* made by Mr Barff to the effect th.t as the Board waa considering the expedie-icv of throwing open the l-iud for sde, it would ,b« •'harsh and vexatious" to enforce the renew.il of business li -eiißes.

I am desire 1, after having laid: the above ci rem nst uvea before you to request tint, for the following reason*, the poli\ ; « inny be instructed to enforce the law with regard to businea licenses as heretofore. ->:'. Beauts-- it is the law. -■^■■■ : -

2nd. B'cause the action 'of* "the B Cnn :il in recommending that the oe C iipiers shou'd be allowed the .great privilege of securing the freehold of their se.-tions, hut requiring that rhev shall conf ivm to the law, in the meantime cann.t be corisider.-d •' harsh and vexation-*." 3rd. B-cause the Borough Council, with a d-sire to deil fai ly and liberally with the holders of business licenses have pa-w-d a resolution guaranteeing to all who now renew their licenses a return of a sum proportionate to the unexpired term of their licenses at the time of their purchasing their sefctions. 4M). Because, it is unfair to tbemrwho hold business licenses toallow others to CM-ry on husiness or occupy sections without doing so.

5 th. Bei'anse the Borough Connoilin anticipation of the revenue derived from the-»p licenses have entered into engagement* which they have no other means of nvetinjj.

6tii. Because the fact of representations made by private persons without any authority from the burgesses expressed in public meeting, hy petition or otherwise, having availed to release the n from the p-iym»nt of fees fixed by law and t-» deprive the Borough of its leoHl revennp, will lead to numerous similar representations and complications in the future and will leave the Borough without any certainty that it will receive the revenues granted to it l»y liw so necessary for the carrying out of its functions.

1 have, «fec,

James Wylde, Town Clerk. Kumara, 17th January, 1879.