PITY THE POOR RATEPAYER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2408, 15 December 1887, Page 2

PITY THE POOR RATEPAYER.

TO the editor. Sir,—l was surprised to read in y,mr report of the Hospital Board meeting a statement by one of the members that they had expended £2OO on the property at present used as a Hospital. I believe the Board has no lease of this property, and though I do not for a moment suppose that the owner would refuse the very handsome rental of t'.lo, slid there is nothing to prevent his doing so. In which case what have the Board to show for their —CO ' But I complain of the expenditure of this money at all, and maintain that we could have a hospital built for the money which this Board will spend in their firs't three years on rent and addition to another person’s properly. There is a vacant piece of Government land against the Borough Council Chambers, and will any one tell iqe that we could not have a building big enough to contain a dozen beds and rooms for tiie attendants put up there for £ooo, as prices go at present ? to say nothing of the advantage of situation, for nine cases out of ten will c-ene in by train. As for funds to build, I have no doubt but that the Borough Council would bo glad to loan the Board some of the money they borrowed at fit per cent, and have m.w deposited with the 'Bank of New Zealand at la- per cent. I have another complaint against the Board, viz., that they spend tfle ratepayer’s money on cases which are well able to pay themselves. I will give two instances. J. Gill laid np with a bad leg, this man had a collection of £7 or £8 made for him on the job when he came out, as I understood, because the Hospital had taken all his money, but I afterwards found this was a mistake, and that ho had paid nothing. He was both before and after 'his accident, in constant work ; does the Board consider a single man in receipt of !)s a day, a fit object for charity ? Again, T. Moore’ another bad leg ; this man was in constant employment on the Waitcti Contract, the manager of whiph stops is per month per man, for ail accident fund. Charity is all right when really needed, hut if these gentlemen take on themselves the management of the institution, they ought to see that every individual case pays his or her expenses, unless there is some exceptional reason to the contrary.—l am, etc., H. Metcalfe.