ELLESMERE COUNTY

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17806, 4 July 1923, Page 6

ELLESMERE COUNTY

HOSPITAL. LEESTON TOWN BOARD RETRACTS. SITE OFFERED FREE. The trouble which arose in consequence of the request by the Leeston Town Board for payment from the North Canterbury Hospital Board in consideration of the Town Board consenting to the closing of the portion of tho old tramway reserve which runs diagonally through the site of the Ellesmere County • Maternity Hospital at Leeston, lias now been smoothed over, the request for payment having been withdrawn. On Monday morning Mr Frank Bowell, tbe district representatfve on the Hospital Board, waited upon the liLesmere County Council at Leeston in regard to the matter. "Is it <i -fact," asked Mr Rowell, 'that a free site was offered to the Hospital Beard for the County Maternity Hospital? If so, where was that site, jand why was it not accepted P The 'chairman of the Hospital Board stated that a free site had been offered.' Cr. John Cunningham, chairman of the Councils There was no free site offered. After much agitation the Hospital Board agreed to build the Hospital on a site suggested by the Council. We did not know at the tlmo—or at least, I did not know—about the tramway reserve running through it. Cr. J. C. Free: There was ne official communication about tho reserve. Tlie Board knew that the reserve was there, and it was understood that it would be closed and made over. . The chairman: The Hospital Board representatives were given to understand that the Council would not throw any obstacle in the way, and that the Council would do what drainage was required, and anything else it oould do to facilitate tho building of the Hospital, and to ensure satisfactory service thereto. This was before the Town Board took over tho control of the town district. The county clerk (Mr Alex. Webster) said he had) given the clerk of the Town Board a copy -of a document of consent to the taking of the reserve, which the Council would have signed had it remained in control. Cr. Cunningham: I advised the Town Board chairman to take back the letter objected to, and to ask the Hosptal Board what the Town Board could do to facilitate the carrying through of tho project. The game is the thing, and we must all play .it. The Council should take some action in this matter. If the Town Board is not agreeable to the reserve being handed over free, the Council, should offer, another site, r and failing the acceptance of that, the Council Should then back up the iSouthbridge .offer. Mr Rowell: The motion by the Hospital Board was misreported in the daily newspapers; the final motion was that the Board decided to go past the Leeston Town Board, and approach the Minister direct, ignoring tho Town Board. Cr. Cunningham: The Council represents the majority of the ratepayers and the great bulk of the rates, and in the event of the Town Board\objection proving insuperable* the Council should offer another site in the vicinity of Leeston. Cr. J. C. Free: The reserve has nothing to do with the Leeston Town Board; it belongs to the Crown, and the Town Boara has up power to Bell it. • Cr. John Nixon: Part of the same reserve runs through Killinchy. Alv father bought some of it; the valuar tion was made by a Government officer sent out for the purpose, and the pur- ! chase was made direct from the Gov- j ernment. The matter was further discussed at' a special meeting of the Leeston Town Board, held on the same evening, and called fox that particular purpose. A letter from the Hospital Board was 1 read, stating that. failing the with- j clrawal of the Town Board's request for' payment, the Hospital Beard would cancel the contract. In the discussion which followed, it transpired that the monibers of the Town Board knew nothing whatever about any promise being made on behalf of the Ellesmere County Council, that the reserve would be handecfoover to the Hospital Board. In the light of the new information, the chairman of the Board (Mr A. J. Gray) moved, and Mr W. Johnston (the Town Board representative on the Canterbury Progress League) seconded, a motion that the following letter be sent to the Hospital Board: — "In reply to tho Boards' letter of June 27th, requesting the Leeston Town Board to withdraw their letter of June 22nd. the Leeston Town Board now being more fully conversant with the whole position, wish to withdraw their letter unreservedly. Now that the little difficulty has been cleared away, we trust that your Board wil' proceed with tlie building of the Hospital with all possible despatch, and we will be willing to assist the Board to the best of, our ability in the matter of roading and drainage, or in any other matters in which we can rightfully assist." The motion was carried unanimously and with a good grace.-