The Daily News. FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 1921. OPUNAKE HOSPITAL SITE.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 June 1921, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 1921. OPUNAKE HOSPITAL SITE.

The discussion which took place at the recent meeting of the Egmont County Council, relative to the hitch that has occurred over the vesting of the proposed site for a, hospital at Opunake, was remarkable for the peculiar views taken by some of the councillors, whose hostility to the Taranaki Hospital Board would seem, to be an obsession,. Making all due allowance for the irritation engendered by the delay that has taken place over the provision of a hospital in that district, there is a limit to which criticism by one public body of the action of another public body should be confined unless common courtesy is to be banished from public business and the outpourings of wrath are to take the place of calm, common-sense deliberations. If the affairs of the country were to be carried on in a manner similar to that adopted at the meeting in question nothing but chaos could ensue. While there is a right way and a wrong way for the transaction of public business, the creation of two wrongs, instead of rectifying, aggravates the position. It appears, from a letter emanating from the Lands Department, that special legislation is necessary to vest the proposed hospital site in the Hospital Board. In acquainting the Taranaki Hospital Board with this fact, the Director-General of Health intimated that he “was afraid the building of the hospital would now have to be held up until the position was regularised,” which might be done in the next Reserves Enabling Bill. The, board went further, and at once endeavored to get protection from the Government to enable the construction of the building to be proceeded with, provided the necessary financial arrangements could be made. This protection was subsequently obtained. In the process delay was caused, but the Hospital Board can neither be blamed for the non-existence of the requisite vesting power, nor could the board be justified in commencing building operations on land to which it had no title. There was much force in the appeal made by Cr. Wright to the chairman not to allow the council to be put in a ridiculous position, but. that did not prevent the resolution beijig carried. It is neither necessary to comment on the folly of such action, nor to dwell upon the legal remedy which the board possesses, rather is it more to the point to give expression to a natural feeling of regret that men in public positions can allow their prejudices to overcome their sense of the public welfare. One councillor, while assuring the council that the majority of the board favored the erection of the hospital, asserted that. New Plymouth had opposed everything belonging to Opunake, and another contended that the council “would be more ridiculous if it showed no pluck and stood more humbug.’’ Such remarks can scarcely be called dignified, or likely to impress the public with respect for the administrative ability of those who indulge in drastic measures and reekless charges. The business of the Hospital Board is to do its best for the relief of suffering humanity throughout the whole of its district, and in order to do this the board needs/the co-operation of the public bodies, as representing the public. The Egmont County Council has chosen, unwisely we think, to stop its monthly levy, but obviously the board will have to deal with the matter in due course. The council’s action is illogical. Suppose a section of ratepayers objected to the council’s action in any matter of policy, and because of it refused to pay their rates, what would it do? It is unnecessary to say. They would get short shrift. The need for a hospital at Opunake is not questioned, but to saddle the board with the blame over the vesting of the site is as unreasonable as the absurd charge Jhut jlew Ply;

mouth oppose everything that Opunake wanted. It is to be hoped that this spirit of petty parochialism is in its’last throes, for it ill accords with the serious work involved by the strenuous nature of present day conditions, which call for the utmost unity, tolerance, and mutual effort that can possibly be given. The Rail otu members have seized the first opportunity to condemn the action of their colleagues, and we hope that better counsels will prevail at next meeting and the right thing done.