THE SAMARITAN HOME REPRESENTATION.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10215, 10 December 1898, Page 4

THE SAMARITAN HOME REPRESENTATION.

After the business of the Samaritan Home Trustees had commenced yesterday afternoon, Messrs F. Board and C. J. Marshall, two ol the representatives elected by the local contributing bodies, presented themselves, and were asked by the chair- i man, Mr 0. H. Bridge, to state the business on which they had come. Mr Board said they were there as representing the local contributing bodies, and as such demanded their right to take their seats. The Chairman said that Mr Smith, the chairman of the meeting appointed to elect representatives, had returned the names of five persons, and he replied to him that the trustees did not admit the right of the local authorities to elect five representatives. In accordance (with the regulations, the local authorities were notified that they were entitled to elect three. They had, however, chosen to elect five, the right of which the trustees could not admit. Mr Board said they understood that from the correspondence. It was merely in the matter of business and right that they were there to demand their, seats, which he now understood the trustees refused them. The Chairman answered " Yes," and that they could only recognise the right of the local bodies to elect three. They could not j accept the names ot five, and so long as more than three were elected the trustees could hot allow any to take seats. Mr Board said it only remained then for them to formally protest against the legality of any business which might be subsequently transacted by the meeting. Mr Marshall said* it would be better if they reduced their protest to writing. He hoped the trustees perfectly understood their position as individuals. They did not discußS the question of the work, merely the society's reading of the law .as it stood. Looking at the matter from any other point of view it would be a very delicate thing for them to protest. .. The Chairman and Mr Sorensen said they perfectly well understood the position. It was not a personal matter at all. - Mr Board said the representatives felt some delicacy about attending the meeting as it was being held in a private house, but after the assurance of the chairman that there would be no objection to their being present to make any formal protest that .delicacy was removed. It was pointed out by the members that the meetings were held at Mr Bridge's house in order to avoid expense. Messrs Board and Marshall signed and handed in the following protest, and then retired:—"As representing the trustees elected by contributary local authorities to the Samaritan Home, we protest against the constitution of this meeting, and against any further business being transacted, or action taken, in connection with the said institution by the tepresentutives of the voluntary subscribers, they being an imperfectly constituted body." The protest was formally received. The Chairman having read the correspondence which had passed on the subject of the election, on the"motion of Mr SorenEen, seconded by Mr J. 08. Hoare, the action of the chairman was approved. The former spoke of the impossibility of carrying on the Home if the majority of the trustees happened to be opposed to separate institutions.