HOSPITAL BOARD.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 101, 29 April 1913, Page 8

HOSPITAL BOARD.

A KEEN CONTEST.

Despite the withdrawal of the Reve. Steele Craik and Howard Elliott and Mr. J. Jcnkin, because of their ineligibility to go to the poll for the districts for which they were nominated, keen interest is being manifested in the contest. The candidates are: — Auckland City (which includes Mount Albert, and returns five members): — 1,. J. Bagnall, J. C. Glecson, J. M. Mcnnie, W. Thomae, J. S. Dickson, J. L. Scott, P. M. Mackay, Florence Keller, P. J- Nerheny, and A. Rosser. Eden County (which includes Avondale, Epsom, Eden Terrace, Mount Rcwkill, Point Chevalier, Rcniuc/ra, Mount Wellington, One-tree-Hill, Orakei, Panniure. and Romuera, and returns two members): M. J. Coyle, S. J. Harbutt, and C. Funiecs. Devonport (which includes Birkenhcad and SoTthcot*, and returns one member) : W. Wallace and K. L. Sturrafels. Mount Eden (which includes Onehunga, Ellerslie. Newmarket, and Grey Lynn, and returns two members): Ji. H. Potter, J. Rowe, EL Schofield, D. Teed, and Claudia Somerville. INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES AT MOUNT ALBERT. The Independent candidates who are standing for election to the Auckland Hospital Board placed their views before the ratepayers of Mount Albert last night at a meeting -held in St. Luke's Hall, Morningside. Dr. Florence Keller and Messrs. P. J. Nerhcny, J. S. Dickson, A. Kosser end J. L. Scott placed their views before the meeting;, as candidates for the combined district of the city and Mount Albert. A few words were added by the Rev. Howard EHiott and Messrs. H. Scbofield and E. H. Potter. The platform on which all these speakers are agreed -was set forth, with the individual and particular claims of each candidate to the suffrages of the ratepayers. It was, however, made clear that though the candidates were at one concerning the common platform, they stood for election separately and independently", each on his or her individual merits. At the close of the meeting questions were asked, the chairman (Mr. S. Thomas) confining those questions to candidates who were seeking the suffrages of the Mount Albert district. Mr. J. S. Dickson, jn reply to direct questions on the matter, stated that his sister had been among the applicants for the position, of matron of the hospital, but that he did not support the application for the reason that he did not think her qualifications justified her being appointed. To other questions 'he stated that the Hospital Board's records proved that he made no statement in open meeting that he had been told by a hospital official that a patient had died from lockjaw, conveyed to that .jmtierrt from a tetaaue patient in the game ward. Mr. Nefheny was challenged that he -made in open meeting a statement damaging to the repute and welfare of the hospital and he ga.ve the challenger an emphatic denial, at the same time adding facts to show that he was cognisant of a state of things which he had endeavoured to rectdfy in committee, but concerning which he had studiously refrained from making -mention in open meeting. In reply to a question all the candidates stated that they were in favour of instituting a convalescent home for men on the Knes of the convalescent home for women which was now in existence. During the course of the meeting, the Rev. Howard Elliott mentioned that a development had occurred which might yet make him eligible as a candidate for a seat. <m the Board, and Ihe intimated the* if the obstacle to his csndidatrare were removed, he- would most certainly p> to (Hie poll.