THE HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID QUESTION. Meeting of Delegates at Hamilton.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2152, 24 April 1886, Page 2

THE HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID QUESTION. Meeting of Delegates at Hamilton.

A mretixr of the delegates of the various public bodies in Waik.ito was hold at the Borough Council Chambers on ThuiNday. There were present : His Worship the Mayor (in the choir), A. Pi unrobe, chairman, and Me->i> Bii'^li .iiid Sed'Jnn, •nembfi-. ol tli<> \V.iikntn f'otinr\ Council, Mr Gei'iiunn, chairman of the County Council, Mr Chepmcll, Piako Comity Council, Mr I. Hodgson, Pirongia Road Boird, Mr J. K. McDonald, Whaingaroa ttoad Boird. Cis. Hindus and Scott, "Borough, Council, Mr J. B. Whyte, M.H\K. for WaJkato. Capt. McPhersnn,- clerk of the Waikato County Council, was also present. Mr Gelling, Town Clerk, acted as secretary to the meeting. His Worship the M-iyor read the resolution authorising him to convene the meeting, and explained the objects which they wore mot to discuss.— Mr Banish said the meeting in Auckland watt to have been held on the 30th, and he supposed that that meeting was to discuss what should be done at Auckland. On Satmdny night he got notice that the meeting would be held on Monday. Perhaps it was thought the country representative* would not be there, but lh».y weie there, .md Mr Lake's motion •v.ts carried. He read Mr Lake's resolution. Of course they had nothing to do w ith Piako, but they succeeded in Retting (he count) y di-tiict^ connected with Auric laud stepnta'id. Hk dul not Lnow nh.it C"»>r-ir it w »- |>r«.|>tjr t<> t-ilce. but \\j thought they might to follow it tip. One of the members Mr Mays, said when the motion w is carried that it ehould be rescinded as ■Mum as possible, so thi»y knew what to expect. — Mr Gt.ihatu explained why ho was l not at the mooting.— Mr Whyte was at a lo«s to know under wliat section of the Act Mr Lake acted. As far as he could hee, the only section referring to the matter was 22, under which the Board could divide the district themselves. — Mr Gralnun said a resolution, moved by hitrmelf at a former meeting of the United Board, was carried, representing to the Government that the district was too large. This recommendation wo* forwarded to the Government, who replied that they had no power to divide, but that the United Board had power to 'Bub-divide the district, but what he understood they required was absolute separation. — Mr Seddon said it was of no use to sub-divide the district. What they wanted was absolute depuration, — Mr Sanries quite agreed •Tith this.— Mr J. K. McDonald said thsy should take instant action to get a new district erected, including Piako. They should take advantage of what the Central Board bad done, aud go in fur a now district The local body he represented were determined to resist to the utmost the collection of the ratu. He moved that they proceed to ascertain their position, arid as soon afterwards as possible erect a Hospital at Hamilton. There would be no difficulty in getting a mutable building, us ■ there was the old Hospital at Ngaruawahia.— Mr Sandes suggested that the Government be asked to gazette the district as an independent hospital di"rtrict forthwith,' aa they wished to proceed immediately with the erection of a hospital. (Hear, hear.) Perhaps Mr McPonald would add that to his motion. — Mr McDonald agreed to this. — The Chairman said it would perhaps be better that they should only pass resolutions to be laid before the local bodies represented in the convention, so that they could approve them or otherwise. — Mr Sandes thought no time should be lost in getting the district gazetted. — Mr Seddon was informed that the Auckland District Board •lone had the power to separata Mr Stout bad expressed this opinion. — Mr McDonald did not see that any harm could bo done by asking the Government to proclaim the district, whish the District Board had no power to do.— The Town Clerk said that where diviwons had beon mnde down South they had been gazetted. — The Chairman said they should make perfectly _ clear what they wanted. — Mr Germann said the first thing they ought to consider was the question of finance. He was of •pinion that under th« altered circumstances the

tnouoy would still ha collected by the Auckland Board and given tuck again to the district hospital. Now uh they only Mint three or four patient*, it was cl°ar tlint the district was t(M« younir for a hospital. The opinion of tho Waipa Council arri hi* own opinion »lw, \vm that thy should get tho Act altered no that they might *end their patient* to Auckland, pat ing only for service* rendered.— Mr Snndri combatted the opinion advanced by Mr Genminn. Ho was quite sure that thoy would all be glad to xend their patients to the hospital under the conditions proposed, but it was not possible to get sneh a conce-'Hion. Ho advocated the establishment of a local hospital principally on tho grounds of economy. Ho had made a c.ilcul ition that £1500 per annum would ho. sufficient to c-trry on a 1«km1 hospital. Ho would ask tho metnbsra to consider well whether such a plan as that proposed by Mr Germinn was feasible. (Hear, hear). —Mr Germann : Let's try it. — Mr Seddon : It's no use. — The Mayor hoped those present would give their opinion* freely, a* a concensus of opinion waa da* sirable.— Mr McDonald said the reaaon why he had not included Fiako was that that county had not Inen separated. — Mr Chepmell did not think tho proposal would be carried. His p wit ion was different from that of the other gentlemen present While the Waikftto districts were no doubt asked to pay too much, the Piako county had practically to support the Thames Hospital, and find two-thirds of the amount required for charitable aid. If therefore, circumstances were favourable to a union of Piako with the other districts, he would have to see that the interests of that county were conserved. He was glad to join with them in protesting against the vicious principle* of the Act, but as he had been appointed by a b«re quorum of tho council in the absence of their representative in the Thames Board, he could not bind the council to anything.— The Chairman said what they wanted mi the opinion of the Fiako Council, because they might take it for granted that the Government and the Home would be guided by a strongly expressed opinion from the country district*. — Sir Chepmell said the council were unanimous that the operations of the Act should be resisted. He could not say whether the council was in favour of joining the Wat* kato districts.— Mr Whyto : You could not possibly bo in a worse position.— Mr Chop* mell quite' agreed with this.— Mr Seddon was s»rry to differ from the mover and seconder, because he sympathised with the objects. They should be careful that no mistake was made. He would like to express his thank* to the local members of the Auckland board. He favoured the erection of a hospital in the district. — Mr Sandes said it wan quite evident that Mr Seddon did not understand the resolution parsed by the Board. There was nothing about " sub-division " in the resolution.— Mr Whyte could find nothing in the Act giving power to tho Government to separate the district — At the request of the chair* map Captain Mclflferson addressed the meeting, jtle thought a great deal of misapprehension existed on the subject. He thoroughly understood from Mr Lake that he would move a resolution under the 22nd section to get » sub-division. This wai different from separation. Sub-division was what Mr fiarugh called handing over their affairs to a number of "cranks." They ousrht to be thankful to the Auckland Board for giving them what they did. They had no power to separate, but they had not subdivided, and he did not think the Board would ask them for a j/enny. An alteration in the schedule could only be obtained in the House, — Mr Whyte said the}* might accept the resolution of the nd Board as separating them and leaving them to manage their own affairs. At this stage Mr E. Lake, M.H.R., entered tlfe chamber, and in reply to question said the resolution of the board waa simply a recommendation to the Governto support them in Parliament. It had no legal import. He presumed that Ihe representatives of the local bodies would agree with the proposal and do their best to carry it into practice. They would be able to point to the resolution (of the board in support of their contention. He did not interpret the resolution as granting a subdivision under section 22. Anything would however be better than the present state of things. — After some further discussion the following motion moved by Mr Seddon waa carried unanimously.— "That the thanks of this meeting be accorded to the Auckland District Board for the spirit of fairness displayed bv them in assenting to the formation of the counties of Waikato, Wai pa, Raglan and the Borough of Hamilton into a separate district." — Before Mr McDonalds resolution was put, Mr Lake said he did not think the Government could proclaim the district. Nothing could be done until Parliament met. — The Chaiman said they could pass a decisive resolution us a guide to their members in Parliament. — Mr McDonalds motion was then withdrawn.—Several draft resolutions were subI mitted, but afterwards withdrawn. — ! Mr Like said the boundaries of the separate hospital district proposed last session in eluded Pinko. He did not know whether that county would now be willing to join.— Mr Gcnnann then moved a resolution to the effect that the Waikato was too young to have a hospital of it* own.— Mr Lake said the motion would indicate that the people were not in favour of °cpnratiou. It by no means followed thai if were gi anted that a local liobpital would be established, as they might -till make arrangements with the Auckland authorities to take their patients. But they must insist upon getting absolute repartition. The countiy districts could exercise no influence in the Auckland Board. They could then make their own arrangements, and not be driven into a corner. As none of the previous motions had been seconded, he would submit the following resolution: "That this committee requests severally the local bodies concerned to urge the Government to give force to tho recommendation of the Auckland District Board by amending the nchedule in the direction indicated in their resolution of 19th April last, and that the members for the district be requested to give all the assistance in their power." —The motion was moved by the chairman, who thoroughly endorsed it. — Mr Primrose seconded the motion, and it was warmly supported by Messrs Btrugh, McDonald and others, and carried unanimously. — Mr Lake snid what thpy mor* e-pecully required to <juaid ngainM. v.a-. being a*ses*pd foi charitable aid. Vlf .«s=m-»d them that tljjs matter m-oiiW before long assume huge uiopoilion». - —Mr Whyte moved, "That the County Council of Piako be invited to assist, ,by petition, in obtaining the above alteration of the Act with a view to that county being included in the newdintrict."— Mr Sandes seconded the resolution, which was carried unanimously.— Mr Germann then n>o\ed, "That before establishing a hospital in Waikato every endeavour should be made so that all patients at the Auckland hospital be paid for at per head by the local lwdics bending them- Failing this nil local bodies thould arrange public meetingM to obtain an expression of opinion on the matter and by petition ask the Government to alter the Act an required, and ask our members to assist." — Mr Lake seconded the motion vto forma. — Mr Primrose said the motion was premature. They had not yet arrived at the time to cousider the erection of a hospital. — Mr Lake quite agreed with Mr Primrose. He felt that though it could not be cheaply carried out, they would have to get a hospital of some nort. A death might ncc^r before a patient could be sent to Auckland. In the meantime nothing .should be done which would interfere with their effort to separate in the matter of charitable aid.— Mr McDonald opposed [ the motion, which was then withdrawn, Mr Germann stating that he had only brought it forward because Hamilton had been mentioned as the nite for a hospital.— Mr McDonald moved that au acting committee be appointed, to consist of the chairmen of the county councils of Waikato, Waipa and Piako, the Mayor of Hamilton, a delegate from Raglan and the members for the district in the House, to watch over the interests of the district in regard to Hospitals and Charitable Aid, the Mayor of Hamilton to be convener.— The resolution was duly seconded and carried. Mr Lake made some general observations on the question of industrial schools. The charges varied, and the local bodies had no power to determine where the children should go. This wan unfair, and hliould be protested against.— Mr McDonald thought the administration of charitable aid should be left in the hands of the local bodies. — Mr Seddon said it seemed to him that the Waipa County had taken up a somewhat singular position. All the county councils with which the Waikato Council had communicated had sent answers concurring with the course taken, except two, and under these circumstances the Waikato Council would feel justified in petitioning Parliament next session to get the Act altered, even if no other local body did so.— After some further conversation, the meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the chair.