HOSPITAL PLANS AT TIMARU

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24536, 9 April 1945, Page 6

HOSPITAL PLANS AT TIMARU

PROPOSED TAKING OF PARK LAND BOARD REPLIES TO CRITICS From Our Own Reportei TIMARU, April 7. The following is a joint statement signed by the chairman of the South Canterbury Hospital Board (Mr E. Macdonald), the secretary.(Mr H. G. Naylor), and the medical superintendent of the Timaru Public Hospital (Dr. J. C. McKenzie): “Mesdames W. Minehan and P. Ruston have asked that the statements made by the chairman of the board, Mr E. Macdonald, and the secretary, Mr H. G. Naylor, in regard to evidence given before the lands committee by those opposing the transfer of Park land to the hospital board, be substantiated or elsd*an honourable withdrawal made., - ' . “We are a&ed to substantiate our statements and here are some examples of the half truths, suppressions and grossly misleading statements. “It was stated that Mr Kinsman, a member of the hospital board, was heavily defeated for the mayoralty and was removed-, ■ from the chairmanship of the reserve committee which was a reflection of public feeling in Timaru over the proposed transfer; the inference being that it was his support of the transfer which caused his defeat. This, of course, is not true. The fact that both of the other candidates were, in favour of the transfer and that Mr Kinsman polled well for the hospital* board and the council was suppressed. After the lands committee meeting, when one of the delegates was challenged with the suppression, she replied: T did not have to say that.’ • . ~ _ , “It was stated that Ashbury Park was totally unsuitable as a playing area as it was low lying, damp, unprotected from the cold prevailing wind always blowing across it, and that it got very little sun. Mr P. B. Foote (who was called m to refute some of the astounding statements made regarding our reserves and playing areas), in reply to'a question by a committee member as to what he would sayato that statement, declared that it was a lie. ■ _. “Mr Naylor’s evidence that the Timaru Park was little used for sports gatherings and displays and that such functions were usually held atAshbury Park, Caledonian Grounds and the Bay was denied, and the statement made that the Timaru Park was the only really large open space in the town suitable for public demonstrations and displays and that it was often used for such purposes. ... „ “Both women gave the committee a clear impression that they . were authorised to represent the ratepayers and women’s organisations. This .is, of course, a half truth. “The women dealt with the resolutions passed by the R.S.A, and Townswomen’s Guild in such a , way as to make it appear that Dr. McKenzie and Mr Naylor had engineered them by underhand methods, and that the resolutions did not truly represent the opinion of the members attending the meetings. , “These are just a few examples of the many misleading statements we complain of. If the two women still question the accuracy of these statements, we publicly invite them to join with the board representatives in requesting the lands committee to authorise the publication of the full written and oral evidence.”

VIEWS OF COUNCIL OF SPORT TIMARU, April 8. The following statement has been made by the Mayor of Timaru (Mr A. E. S. Hanan) as president of the South Canterbury Council of Sport, and the secretary of the council (Mr P. S. Entm “A published statement made by the chairman of the South Canterbury Hospital Board (Mr E. Macdonald), the secretary (Mr H, G. Naylor), and .the medical superintendent of the Timaru Public Hospital (Dr. J. C, McKenzie) is inaccurate in at least one particular when it states that ‘the truth is, of course, that the Council of Sport made its pronouncement without a mandate from its constituent bodies. Some of these have since repudiated, the council’s action.’ “Nothing could be further from the truth. The Council of Sport has openly opposed the taking of park land for more than 12 months. The annual report of the council presented last April registered the council’s action. Newspaper reports over the whole period have given much publicity to the council’s attitude. The actions have been constitutional in every respect. No protest has been received from any of the Council of Sport’s constituent bodies. ’ “My own personal attitude in this matter is well known, but, as president of the Council of Sport, I am concerned to see that mis-statements affecting that body are corrected,” stated the Mayor of Timaru on Saturday.