HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BILL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9137, 9 July 1908, Page 5

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BILL.

FUWLDS,

DEPUTATION TO HON. G

STRONG PROTEST AGAINST AMALGAMATION PROPOSALS.

The deputation of local body and Hospital Board representatives which waited upon the Minister for Hospitals and Public Health (the Hon. G. Fowlds) yesterday, to protest against the joining to Wellington district of the Wairarapa Hospital District under the Hospitals and Charitable Aid Bill, was a very strong and representative one. Those who comprised the deputation were:— Messrs E. Ct. Eton (Chairman of the Wai rarapa Distiict Hospital Board), W. C. Buchanan (Charitable Aid Board, Wellington), W. J. Welch (Chairman Masterton County Council), D. Crewe (Mayor of Pahiatua), Bolton (Chairman"of the Pahiatua County Council), J. Hunter (Masterton Borough Council),!R. Smith and T. Moss (Eketahuna County Council), M. Maxton (Greytown Hospital Trustees), M. J. Jackson (Featherston County Council), W. Speedy (Akitio County Council), F. W. H. Kummer (Mauriceville County Council), D. P. Loasby (Mayor of Greytown), W. Moore (Mayor of Carterton), W. Udy, (Greytown), W. M. Perry (Chairman South Wairarapa County Council), and A. W. Hogg, M.P. (representing the Wairarapa Benevolent Trustees).

Messrs Hogg, J. T. M. Hornsby (Wairarapa) and Ross (Pahiatua), M.P.'s, introduce! the deputation in brief speeches, and Mr Eton then outlined the object of the deputation's visit. Mr Eton pointed out that Auckland had been subdivided into four districts, while Wellington comprised one very large district, and ttiat on a population and area basis Wairarapa was fully entitled to maintain its present independent position. Mr Eton quoted figures to show that Wairarapa had been very unfairly treated in being grouped with Wellington, ar.d that centralisation was against the interests of both the hospital and charitable aid ad' ministration^

Mr Buchanan followed, and bore out the previocs speaker's remarks, protesting very strongly against the centralisation of the districts. Mr Buchanan spoke at considerable length, and adduced some strong arguments against the amalgamation proposed under the Bill. Mr W. J. Welch, in a forceful spt ch, pointed out that if the influx to t!je city of country recipients of hospital treatment or charitabfe aid was as great as alleged, a special levy could be made on the particular centres, but the whole of the district should not pay the penalty Mr Crewe made a strong point of the fact that charitable' aid in his district was not always ielt to the recognised channel to be administered, b-t the people were in the habit of insisting their own poor, and if any antagonistic attitude were taken up jy the city and the amalgamation p:cornplished it might have the effect of lessening privately extended charity. Mr Moss compared the Pulmerston North district with Wairarapa, and said that from a comparative stand-

point there was no reKSon whatever | why Wdnrapa should not remain a (separate district a* at present. He '•considered that the increased ra::ation which would have to be paid by the Wairarapa district if amalgamation was effected would mean a hardship to hundreds of country settlers who were already sufficiently burdened. Mr J. Hunter endorsed the remarks of the previous speakers, stating that the feeling was very strong in the district against the amalgamation, which it was considered on every hand was inimical to the welfare of country hospital and charitable aid ad ministration. '<

Mr Moore alto gave a short speech opposing the object of the Bill in regard to amalgamation. The Minister gave the deputation a very sympathetic hearing on the main issues. He denied, however, that the county rates would be increased, and as far as Mr Buchanan's remarks regarding centralisation were concerned the object was not really centralisation, but combination. He admitted the justice of the deputation's contentions regarding the area and population claim 3 of Wairarapa, and thought that a hardship miuht possibly be done if the amalgamation were insisted upon. He assured the deputation of his own personal sympathy. Mr Eton cordially thanked the Minister for his patient and attentive hearing (the interview had lasted over an hour and a-half), remarking that on due consideration no doubt the Minister would find he was in eruire sympathy with the deputation's object.