Hospital District Board.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 1501, 7 November 1885, Page 4

Hospital District Board.

, The first meeting ot tnV newr board was held on Thursday m the Wanganui Borough Council Chambers, when there were present — Messrs Weßt (Palraerston North,) Beckett (Marton), Sneiaon (Oroua County), Peat (Waitotara | County) Poison f Wanganui County;, Macarthur (Foilding), Thyune (Mahawati. County) and Wilson (Rangitikei , County). . Mr Jackson took the chair m accordance with the regulations of the Act. Mr Macarthnr said there was much m the Act he did not like, but there were points that he did. like. The subscriptions of local bodies were not compulsory,'and tin's would put a stop to the practice, which had been , adopted by some, of backing out. leaving their patientp on the hands of the^ Borough of W&nganni. He hoped that the Wanganui Hospital would be carried, oa -as m the past, and referred generally to the drawbacks which'would be sure to arise if Wanganui went m for a seperate institution. He felt sure that such a procedure would lead to petty jealousies, the result of which would be? the erection of hospitals elsewhere m the district, for ..which Wanganni, with the others, would have to be taxed — Mr Thynno eulogised the present Act, as compared with the past system. Hi's desire m attending the meeting wns to advocate one large hospital m Wanganui for the whole coast. This would be of great value to the town and also to the district.— Mr Beckett had no doulit.but that if a hospital were erected m the Manawatu it would be more convenient for the public of adjoining { districts, but he did n«t think they would care to be rated for it.— Mr Snelson said the. previous speake.-s had expressed the opinions he himself had formed. .A sto the hospital endowments he believed, if possible they, should not be interfered with except that the> be used for the benefit of the < present building. He trusted that, having pressed their views with frankness^ i«the Wanganui Borough Council would see that the wish of the country members was to have the hospital continued as at present.— ln answer to Mr Thynnej as to the means of carrying on the management till February, the Chairman ' said he had received a telegram, which stated that, the Government would continue to pay, as at present, uniil the Ist of December, after which the Government would only pay the bonus mentioned m the Act. — Mr Macarthur poirited'out that this would lead to the loss of thic year's subsidy, as nothing could be done until the notice lapsed. — Mr West, on behalf of Palmoraton North, said he was quite satisfied witli the present arrangements. From personal enquiries, he ascertained that good value had been given m ■ t'ii.e past. If the present notice were withdrawn, Palmerston or Feildihg would go m for a hospital, and that would nieQn donble taxation for all, and they were taxed quite sufficient at present.— On resuming Mr Jackson was : elected Chairman for the .year on the motion of Mr Macarthur, seconded by Mr West. On the motion. of Mr Macarthur the clerk was Kcquestt'd to communicate with the local bodies m the district, and get the amount of th^ir valuations.— Mr Snelnon moved that r-'pi'osfintation be mode to the Government by the, chairman as to the (li'Siral)ility of flunking m members, by the railway to the Hospital Board meetings. — Mr Wilson seooMfiod the motion, which was carried unanimously. Trie meeting then adjourned till Tuesday the 17th at noon.