THE REFUGE SITE.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 156, 3 July 1888, Page 5

THE REFUGE SITE.

EXPERTS TO DECIDE,

At the fortnightly meeting of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board held lasb evening the question of the site for a Refuge was again brought up. Legal opinion as to the Board's power of using the Hospital site had been obtained as follows from Messrs Hesketh and Richmond :—" Our opinion is asked by the Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board upon the following question: Can the Board legally, for charitable aid purposes, erecb buildings upon bhe Hospibal grounds, or upon any of bhe Hospibal endowments ? The endowments referred to are contained in the ' Return of Hospital Reserves' furnished to us and attached hereto, and these reserves or endowments are set oub in bhe schedule to the Auckland Hospital Reserve Act, '83, and are part of the lands held by the Public Trustee as security for repayment of the money borrowed in 1875 to build the present Hospital, by virtue of the Public Buildings Act, 1875 (Auckland Provincial Council). Attached hereto are our reasonsat lengthfor our opinion, which, shortly stated, is as follows: 1. These lands are now in the Public Trust Office on bhe trusts in connection with which lands are required to be administered by the Public Trustee under the Public Trust Acb, 1871, and bhe amendments thereto. 2. The Hospital and Charitable Insbibubions Act, 1885, and its amendments do not appear to take these lands out of the Public Trust Office, and vest them in the Hospital Board. 3. Assuming that these lands are now vested in the Hospital Board, upon the trusts and for the purposes set cut in the three Crown grants of bhe same, bhe Board cannot legally uso these lands for the purposes of erecting thereon buildings for charitable aid purposes. 4. Under these grants bhese lands are nob granbed as sites for a hospital, though the grant (of the Hospital site) recites that the same has been marked on the maps as a site for a hospibal. 5. The granbs grant the lands as endowments for the maintenance and support of a hospital, and to appropriate the lands or income arising therefrom for bhe supporb and maintenance of any other objecb bhan a hospital would be improper.—(Signed) Hesketh and Richmond. July 2, 1888." The Chairman suggested that the Public Trustee could be asked to put up bhe endowments by public auction again if the Board threw them up, and then they could bid for them again. The motions of Messrs Mays and Crowther held over, from, the last meeting, were placed before the Board. Mr Mays's motion that a committee of experts appointed by the Auckland Insbitube of Archibecbs should report on the most suitable site was withdrawn. Mr Crowthers motion was read, and was to the ell'ecb that a committee consisting of Drs. Philson, Wright, and Stockjjfell, and Messrs Stewart, C.E., and_ Kales, District Engineer, should be appointed to examine which of the sites proposed was the most suitable.

Mr Udy thought the Board was quite competent to judge of bhab without the assistance of experbs. He favoured the Epsom site.

Mr Isaacs hoped they would make no mistake in the mabber.

Mr Mays wanted tho Hospital site dona away with, and hoped Mr Crowther would make his motion read so that the Epsom and Ellerslie sites, only should be recommended to the experts to report on. Mr Crowther was very desirous that the Hospital site should be selected ; it was the best, and Nature could not have provided a better. The solicitors' opinion did not affect the case, as it was evident that what applied to the Hospital site applied to the other two sites. He liked the Epsom site very much, but was afraid that they would have some trouble about drainage, and also about a water supply. If they could get water he would be very much more inclined bo yield the concession. He suggested laying down 2-inch pipes to Newmarket. The Epsom site Was an excellent one, bub he thought they should consult the experts for the sake of health and suibabiliby. He proposed his resolution wibh only bwo sites named. The Board could have another fight after the report came back to them. .

Mr Isaacs was very much pleased that Mr Crowbher had given up the idea of building on the Hospital site. He would be glad in the near future. Mr Crowther rose to explSin that the two sites he coupled were the Epsom and Hospital sites. Mr Mays said Mr Crowther had certainly led the Board to think that he had given up the Hospibal site. Mr Isaacs thought so too. Mr Cooper objected to Mr Crowther being allowed to alter his amendment any more, as Mr Crowther had been trifling with the Board.

Mr Udy proposed and Mr Atkin seconded that the Epsom sibe should be chosen wibhoub any experts being consulted.

The Board were generally against this being done. They did not care to take the responsibility of failure, therefore on the motion being pub ib was lost. Mr Crowther's motion was then put in an amended form—that the named committee of experts should examine and report on such sites as the Council should determine.

Mr Dignan seconded, and being put, ib was carried.

Mr Mays proposed and Mr Isaacs seconded that the bwo sites bo be submibbed should be bhe Epsom and Ellerslie sites. An attempt was made to include the Hospital site, but only three voted in favour of the amendment.

On bhe mobion being put, it was carried. The Chairman, in declaring the motion carried, said he was very glad the Board had decided not bo have the Hospital site. Suitable as it was now, it would be quite the opposite in a few years' time. In five years the Board would have been very sorry if they had adopted the Hospital site.

A meeting of the Radical Reform League was convened for last evening. Only foul members attended, and in order that they might attend the more important meeting in the City Hall it was decided to adjourn until next Monday.