HOSPITAL DISTRICT AMALGAMATION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9140, 16 July 1908, Page 4

HOSPITAL DISTRICT AMALGAMATION.

It was stated at a meeting of the Horowhenua County Council, on Saturday last, that the Wairarapa district was making an attempt to secede from the Wei lington Hospital District. Councillors held that if the object was attained the burden would fall more heavily on Horowhenua. At the.same time the view was expressed that Horowhenua should form a separate district. The meeting resolved to send a deputation to Wellington to endeavour to get Horowhenua separated, and,, failing this, to prevent Wairarapa seceding. So the Wairarapa opponents have opposition looming in a rather unexpected quarter. Whatever claim Horowhenua may have upon the Wellington district to be a separate district, no arguments that they may adduce can v/eaken Wairarapa's case as detailed by the depu tation which waited upon the Minister. Still, it is rather a dog-in-the-manger policy to set up one plea in self-defence, and when that fails to endeavour to win by attacking an innocent and even more injured coopponent. It would be invidious to compare the respective merits of Horowhenua and Wairarapa in their claims to be separate Hospital Districts, although it might be mentioned that Wairarapa has more institutions in its jurisdiction, and as far as population goes could simply overwhelm Horowhenua. Moreover, Wairarapa has been administering its own Hosoitals of late years, while Horowhenua has bpen under the un • welcome wing of Wellington. We do not wish to see Horowhenua suffer through Wairarupa's gain, but it would be interesting to know whether the assertions of Horowhenua County Councillors that their burden would be increased if Wairarapa maintained its independence were mere hasty assumption or founded on competent investigation. Wairarapa delegates went to the Minister armed with irrefutable figures, and if Horowhenua can show as just a cause for secession on as good a basis then they, too, are entitled to hoe '.heir own Hospital row.