THE NEW HOSPITAL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 209, 13 December 1910, Page 8

THE NEW HOSPITAL

THE BOROUGH COUNCIL'S PROTEST.

Councillor Dockrill moved at last night's meeting of the Borough Council in accordance with his notice ol motion as follows:—(1) That the Hon. the Minister of Internal Affairs be requested to withhold his consent to the request of the Taranaki Hospital and Charitable Aid Board to raise funds for the building of a new hospital and the purchase of a new site and removal of the Old People's Home, until a- more equitable system is devised by the Government for raising the funds than at present exists. (2) That as the present system of electing the Board takes away representation from the contributing bodies, it is more just and equitable that the onus of raising funds should devolve on the Board. (3) That this contributing body absolutely objects, and considers the proposition utterly unfair, that they should be compelled to find funds for a separate and distinct Board over which they have no control.

Speaking to the motion Councillor Dockrill said he felt that as representation had been taken from the Council they had the right to make some protest against the manner of raising the money. As the shoe began to pinch"they should sing out. The position he objected to was taxation without representation. It could not be considered that as ten individuals they could have any influence on the election. Although two members- of the Council wefce on the Board, they were not responsible to them and therefore did not represent them. He'saw by the papers that the work of removing the Old People's Home was proceeding, and that was all the greater reason why the Council should proceed with the protest. Very little intimation had been given of the work until it had been decided to do it, so star chamber-like 4id the Board do their business, and the public kriew nothing about it. The only thing he was contending for at present was that part ot his motion referring to the onus of raising funds being put upon the Board: If the hospital was not suitable the Council should not be called upon for any amount of money to carry out what the officers of the Government intimated to the Board to do. The great principle involved was thoroughly British in character, and he thought no one could object to the protest against taxation' without representation.. Councillor Wilson seconded the motion pro forma.- He was entirely in sympathy with Councillor Dockrill, as his rejnarks on other occasions would have ihowh, but he did not think they could movd the Legislature to rescind the recent legislation. He move an amendment as follows: : —

"That this Council as a contributing body to the Taranaki -Hospital Board protests against the large extraordinary expenditure proposed by that Board without details of such expenditure and the proposed provision therefor being placed before the contributing, bodies, and that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Minister in charge of the Department and to the Board."

They could, Councillor Wilson continued, do no more than protest. About £IO,OOO would be spent in the near future and it was all very well to talk about "devolving on the Board," etc., but as a contributing body they had to find the money. . They had not been consulted about it in the slightest way. The first he had heard of it was in a letter in the Taranaki Daily News, which had been promptly replied to in the editorial columns 'of the Herald the same evening.

His Worship said New Plymouth only contributed a fifth; that had been the case for years. New Plymouth got the benefit of the building, yet every contributing body put in their quota. The old hospital would be used for infectious diseases, to which other local bodies would contribute, so that it would not altogether fall on New Plymouth.

Councillor Bellringer (who. is chairman of the Hospital 1 ' Board) said that there were seven contributing authorities. The Board had not asked the Council to increase its contributions. The best advice obtainable was that the Board was acting entirely in the interests of the contributing bodies, and the new building would be erected without calling upon them for an increased contribution. The Board was, a fair representation of public men of Taranaki. The hospital was not a New Plymouth concern, they were a very small unit. The proportion of payment New Plymouth would have to meet was onethird. At the last conference in Dunedin two years ago it was clearly indicated, that the'subsidies would be abolished in the near future, and the institutions would have to be self-supporting. The various contributing s authorities would be as follows on an expenditure of £10,000: New Plymouth Borough Council £982 10s, Egmont County Council £1221 10s, Taranaki County Council £ 182 ft, Fitzroy Town District £lO9, Inglewood Borough Council £l2l, and Waitara Borough Council £ll9. Councillor Bellringer said he could not understand the objection, as it was almost entirely agreed by the outside bodies that it would be beneficial ,to the borough. Councillor Dockrilh I am not working against the erection of the building; it is merely regarding the money and the means of obtaining it that I object to. Councillor Bellringer said the question was portion of the motion. The Board collected its own rates, which this year were -reduced from 9d to Bd. Not one member of the Board had been heard to object. The scheme onght to be hailed with satisfaction by the New Plymouth people. This throwing of cold -water on it was very discouraging to those who

were actively engaged in the work. Why, Councillor Dockrill himself was on the Board at one time, but the work was too strenuous for him. The shifting of the Old People's Home was simply the beginning of a greater scheme. The Maternity Home would be erected there, and all would recognise that the Department was working on right lines. He considered the motion came in very questionable taste from them, and hoped the Council would not jeopardise the scheme which the Board had entered into.

There was a good deal of dkcussjoii on the scheme, in tlie course of which Councillor Clarke said he considered members lost sight of the fact that it was a matter entirely between the Department and the Board. The Board need not go to the ratepayers for permission to raise monej', but the Council had to. He was very pleased to see so much money being spent in New Plymouth. The Board was taking advantage of the Act, and the Council would do the same if they had the chance. ("Hear, hear," from Councillor Dockrill.) Councillor Dockrill said the remarks of Councillor Bellringer had thrown a great deal of light upon the scheme. He did not blame the Board in the slightest, but if they, as a contributing body, did not make a protest who would do so? Councillor Clarke: The ratepayers. Councillor Dockrill said the ratepayers did not elect the Board; -it.-was the electors. Be had not 'eaid. ~a- word

he waa protesting against. "Had I," said Mr. Dockrill. "got the information before which I have had to-night, I would have worded number one part of my motion very differently." Councillor Watkins seconded Councillor Wilson's amendment.

Councillor Dockrill said he would withdraw his motion in favour of the amendment as No. 1 clause was not .to his liking; all he wished was that a protest should be made.

This was agreed to, and on being put to the meeting ■ Councillor Wilson's amendment was carried, Councillor Bellringer opposing it.