OUR LETTER BOX

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 160, 11 July 1904, Page 2

OUR LETTER BOX

(ire are at all times willing to publish correspondence on matters of public interest, but it must, be distinctly understood that we utc not identified with the letters of our correspondents.—Ed. Daily NowO

STIUTFOJUI DISTRICT HOSPITIL BILL.

(To tlio Kditor.) Sir,—lu your issue of Saturday a li'ttor appeal's over the signature 0/ H. Norman Liardot, in which ho .slates ilr Pigott and myself for gross ignorance, by o ur not being able to seo the iflect of the. Stratford District Hospital Hill through Mr Liardet's glosses, This bill is a short one brought in by Mr Liardct land his supporters—lirst a bald clause dealing with the adjustment of accounts, and then a clause that tho 1.0 reserves now in tho Stratford .: rrtrict Bhould become the liHUWfyi nl |lu i,'lny| l h^,.ij,| u |i|iital Hoard. All we are usking IstKoY" Ihe reserves and property in tho Taronaki hospital district should remain tho property of the Taranoki Hospital Board'. If Mr Liardct is willing to add a clause to that effect hu will remove all opposition as far as the Tarnnaki County Council is concerned. As to tho adjustment of accounts live Stratford delegates at the conference admitted that tho only fair way of adjusting) would be on a valuation basis. If that is so the amounts quoted by Mr Pigott and myself was not far out. The total valuation of the Tarotaaki Hospital grounds, building, etc., is about £,7000. The valuation of the portion wishing to sever is a third of tho preand rating area, so that your venders may draw their own conclusions as to the amount Stratford delegates expect. Mr Liardct has stated many times that what they rpqjjired was a severance so that they could administer their own funds, they having had promises of sufficient funds to erect an hospital. Tho Hospital Hoard, looking at it in his light, passed a resolution agree.ng to facilitate a severance, so that Mr Liardet cannot say that tho pooyeople down this way are against them having a hospital at Stratford. It is really Mr Liardet's grasping bill that lias caused uny opposition, and because a few whose duty It is to look after the interests of the ratepayers try to see that their intests are protected it is taken that they are against the severance.—l am, etc.,

H. OKEY, Frunkley Road, July 9th, 1904.