WESTPORTONIAN’S NOTES.

Grey River Argus, 30 May 1922, Page 6

WESTPORTONIAN’S NOTES.

A reporters’ 101, like the policemans’, is not a happy one. According to our evening purveyor of telepathic items, the ll< n W. -Mclntyre, at the Hospital anti Charitable Aid Board meeting took occasion to deliver a lecturett-e to your own correspondent. It ran as follows; The notes on the Baller Hospital Boards’ meetings, by tire Westport correspondent of a southern contemporary cannot be called a report, jt is commeal. The general public do not want comment for news, nor do they want the suppression of news. What they want is news. They are quite able to do the commenting if they get the facts.” All of which goes to show that someone's pet corn has been trod on! ]f an individual signing an epistle to ‘‘Ratepayer’’ happens along to the next the editor of the aforementioned paper, Hospital and Charitable Aid Board meeting, he or she may ‘‘hear something to their advantage,’’ as the advertisements for missing friends say. ‘Ratepayer” gets this oil’ his chest: —“lt appears to me that the time has come when the Government should take over the Westport Hospital Board, owing to the idiotic and foolish manner in which the affairs of that body are ad- , ministered. Of coure the ratepayers are responsible when they elect such a body ind the whote matter proves that de*

mocracy is a failure, and that the day is still far distant in which the Government by the people of a district, is in the best interests of that district.” I will not upon this occasion comment I am only drawing attention to facts. 'There are quite a number of people very much purturbed about Hospital Board affairs and advice is being tendered from many quarters as to what should or should not be don,-. The absence, on leave, of Air A. E. Cottrill has caused some comment and there is no doubt his absence has effected lhe Borough representation detrimentally. There are some who would contend that six months’ leave of absence is an illegal act, but Air Cottrill is a lawyer and would hardly take chances. The late Chairman of the Board, Air R. Patterson sounded a warning note, wh-en leave was granted, but now we shall have to grin and bear itThe position brought about has conccnf trated public opinion upon Hospital and Charitable Aid affairs, and there will assuredly Lc an effort made to get an alteration in the Act of Parliament to provide for more adequate representation for the Borough. I would not have the Board harrassed at the present juncture. They have ; their troubles, and it is hardly a fair thing to accentuate them by snarling at them; but at a late period, I think it might be advisable for His "Worship the Mayor to call a public meeting, preferably when Air Holland, ALP., can be present, and thrash the whole matter out so as to see what amendments, it’ . any, are required, and to get our mem- | her to advocate same. A public meeting would give opportunity to a number of street orators who at present are , full up to the brim of plans for the | reformation of the Boad. In the meantime I trust the Board will get to work upon the building of | the new wing “we’ve got the bricks,; we’ve got the men, we’ve got the money too.” No contract, the only thing left is to do it themselves. W c have : a great number of pessimists in out ■ Borough. It is wonderful to note the • simmer of excitement that has boon pervading a large part of the community for the last few days since the advent of an official connected with the A aliiation Department. Property owners have been buttonholing him in every

nook and corner. Land adonis, lawyers and other interested persons arc all busy depreciating the ratable yaluo of our town. That the whole bang lot “is not worth a tinker’s cuss,” seems to be the current opinion! At all points you run up against people with assessment papers in their hands, comparing them with those of other people, pointing out how so and so is rated below them, and whose land is so much more valuable! If you made a similar statement to them after the assessment Court has sat, and got up again, I have little doubt they'll call you an Ananias! But there you are. The Progress League have a publicity committee, whoso business it is to boost the town. about time, they sequelehed this crowd who are endeavouring to run our town down to the lowest.