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Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2646, 27 June 1889, Page 2

In the Charitable Aid Bill introduced by the Government, there is a proposal which will be condemned throughout the whole W; ikato district. It is to place the control of the Waikato District Hospital and the distribution of local charitable aiil in the Hamilton Borough Council. We can take it as a moral certainty that the strongest possible opposition will be offered to such a course. The Waikato Hospital is ati institution supported by contributions from the revenues of all the local bodies in the counties of Waikato, Piako, Waipa and Raglan, who are all represented on the present Hospital Board. It is ridiculous to suppose that any single one of these bodies will agree for a moment to the transfer of so important a joint institution, from a competent and representative board of management to one of their own number of local governing bodies of minor rank, and with no other claim to the responsibility than that it happens to be the borough within which the hospital is situated. The change of management would be disastrous to the interests of the hospital and attached institutions. We are, however, of the opinion that in framing the Bill the Government were unacquainted with the local circumstances which surround the Waikato Hospital, otherwise it would not be included in the schedule. We fully recognise the principle involved in the Bill. It has always been our aim to secure decentralisation and the entire management of all local affairs entrusted to the more important local bodies. The principle can be observed and preserved with regard to the Waikato Hospital by placing the control of it in the County Councils of Waikato aud Waipa, who could appoint a committee of management, subject to their higher authority. The constitution of thocommittee would be created by election from the personnel of the County Councils. In any case, the people of this district will protest against the Hamilton Borough Council being entrusted with the charge of their hospital and charitable aid.