BULLER HOSPITAL BOARD.

Grey River Argus, 24 June 1922, Page 2

BULLER HOSPITAL BOARD.

A LIVELY MEETING. At the Hospital Board meeting, in the County Chambers, on Wednesday) the following members were'present:— •Messrs Caldwell (chair), I’atterson, Thomas, Simpson, Hawes, Hon. Mclntyre ami Mrs C. J’: ttersou. At the commencement Mr Caldwell i questioned the light of -Mr Simpson to [a seat at the table, he having been ab[sent for four meet ings in succession. [According to regulations, Mr Simpson I by being absent without leave,'had forfeited liis seat. I Mr Patterson contended that Mr | Simpson, not, having been notified to this effect, was quite within his rights to be present. The chairman read the Act on the matter which bore out the Hon. Mr Mclntyre's opinion that Mr Simpson's seat was vacant. j Mr Hawes said if that was the case, the board ought to have been notified that a vacancy h: d occurred. Mr Simpson slated that he had received official notification to attend the meeting, and held, on that score, that he had a right to sit. The chairman said Mr Simpson h: d been notified to attend so that he would have a chance to defend himself when the matter of the vacancy was being discussed. 'flic minutes of the last ordinary meeting were confirmed. The chairman then declared Mr Simpson "s seat v: rant. Mr Patterson wanted to know why the minutes of the special meeting were not entered in the ofiirial book. The secretary said he ailed on the instructions of the chairman in nut doing so. Mr (’a'dwell said be would take’ the blame for the secretary’s absence from the special meeting. Mr Patterson suggested th: t the secretary had not aided lovally. He found

that out whin he (Mr Patterson) was chairman. The serrolary challenged the state inent. He defied pny member to point, out any our way in whi<-h he had not acted loy:.]iy ami to the best interests of Hie board. Mr Simpson said it was qnile evident that, the secretary acted on the iustiuct ions of the chairman, and ignored tlie members I lie board. Mr Caldwell here said to Mr Simpsou that he had no voice in the meetThe Hon. Mr Mclntyre said when a special meeting w- s called to .’.leal with tlie expenditure of EI().UDO, it. was not right that four members should come along ami hold a meeting. attL ' On ' I he Hon. Mi' Me I ntyre said the whole (position had uleve!op-'<l into a ‘‘keystonu. ’’ It was a farce and had gone beyond a joke. Mr Hawes: Yes, the further you go, the further you get into the mire’ Hon. Alclntvre: You’ve just struck It! Tie!’.-; just it! Hon. Mclntyre said Avion Mr Cottrell's resign:'t ’.on was rec-';\'ed, the Borough Council started to quibble. He thought there was no need io have hurried the thing up (referring to the >pe- | Mr I'attMon: Why didn’t you illtend tlie previous meeting .’ i Hon. M ■•! I'tyi <•: i was excused in the a ft er a non to visit the hospital from 2 ■ Mr Patterson: You were on the Rail jway Station ;it 3.3'>. ! Hon. Mclntyre: 1 did not leave the huspit' I until 3.3(1. Mr Hawes wanted to know why tin* chairman had directed the secretary to send out notiees ]'O.stpon;ng tlie meeting. The m-niber.s who asked for a j.io-tponcmeul were not justified in doing so. Hi> was informei! by the chairman |and secretary that, the meeting was be I ing hebi. H.e thought the chairman and sii-ret iy should have come along ami ■made an expkinat ion. but they stayed away, and treated those who attended as a lot of school children. The tlu‘ resolution of the board without consult’ I ion with mem Per. Mr Patterson said there was a dulv i constiluted meeting called for June 6. The secrctarv should have duly notified jmembers, but did not do so. 'l'lie I chairman was at the time aware of Mr Simpson’s seat bong Aaeant, and l.e I should have come : long mid made mi I explmiat ion. He defied anvoi!'- to poinr out where they tried to present borough rejirusentation. If Mr Mclntyre hud been interested in the county, he ought to have seen that there was county representation on the bomd. Mr Hawes wanted fn know if it was I a usual thing for people to go and bur i'oav things from the hospital oflicc —a I typewriter for instance. Mr Thomas said business hud prevented him from returning to the lust I meeting in the afternoon. In regard to the special meeting it was impossible for him to attend. He notified the chairman. Mr Patterson: Where did you get your notice form to attend on June 6 .Mr Thomas: From the secretary! Mr Patterson: Then you are the only one who got a notice .’ '1 he secretary sa : d l.e did not send a notice, but told him ('Thomas') verbally when on the Ministerial tour to I )< n niston. Mr Thomas said he did not know the meeting b.ad been hold until he saw so by the paper. He thought members ! were, quite justified in proceeding with jtho mooting, but doubted Mr Simpson’s legality to sit. If he missed four coniseoutivo meetings without exeuso, he had no right to sit at the table. No member under the circumstances should. H" felt ennov.-'d at certain things being done nt the meeting. Ho thought Frazer mid Paine were to blmne for 'not. complying with the resolution of the board, and the way things had gone lately made the whole business a farce. If something better was not done, he would resign. Mr Hawes: You resign then, and. I will! Mr Mclntyre said ho had been asked by the chairman to consult the highest legal authority on the present situation. He interviewed Mr Skerrett, and put the whole thing before him, with a request that he should send a written opinion on the s't uut ion. Ho told the secretary to expo-t the letter, but it had not nrrived. So that flu board could h* vo mi outline of tlie legal opinion, lie w'rod Skerrett asking for a summary Ly telegram. In the meantime a telegram came from Air SkerreH, and the contents were read out. The reason why they consulted Mr Skerrett was because Mr Patterson had discounted local legal opinion. The telegram stated that Mr Simpson’s sent had become vacant. Mr Mclntyre thought it was a pity to get such a big gun to kill such a little bird! Mr Patterson: 'The little canary is not dead yet! It is still singing! Air Mclntyre said he was always of

the opinion that the whole thing was null ami void. Air Patterson: The whole thing hinges on no one clause. Air Hawes objected to Air Mclntyre getting legal opinion without a direction from the board. The board would not lie responsible for the cost?’. Air Patterson said Hie telegram from Air Skerrett wasn't worth the paper it was written on. It had to bo taken into consider: tion that Air Skerrett was interviewed by only one man, and they had no record of the words of his interview. Air Mclntyre said he explained that Mr Simpsuii was absent for four consecutive meetings, and then took part in a subsequent une, and Air Skerrett ha 1 ■, said that lie w:is nut eiititlud to sit. Air i Aiclutyre sa.id : 11 the King's horses and all the King’s men could not reinstate Aly Simpson. I Air Patterson said the chairman knew that Air Simpson s sent was vacant, and he and the secret- ry abstained from [attendance at the sy'cial meeting. Both [had a right to attend, and explained that the meeting was informal. They i wilfully absented themselves. | Air Hawes said Simpson had received ‘a notice to attend at last meeting, mid also this one. Was that due to action i in ignorance? : Air Patterson declared that by con•nivancc, the chairman mid the se< rotary had illegalised the last meeting. Air Caldwell s- id M; Simpson’s seat j was vacant in Septemln r, and both Air [Cottrell mid Mr i'alterson ought to have 1 known it. I Mrs Patterson said that in Febrnary IAIr Simpson had been excused by the 'lion. Mr Mclntyre, :m-l the secretary . liinl faili Ito | ini it. i Mr Tboin.- s: Mr Simpson's sent was a : viii-.arJ one oiol be w:is allowed thruugi: courtesy of members to sit. I Voices: Oh, im! Ob, no! I Mr Thomas said Mr Simpson could Ibe reappointed. The board could do i tliat, but lie tliouu’it meniliers should ' attemi rejrularly in .i'Jstiee to the rate- : pavers. Ever since the election of the new chairn-an. tio re had been d- rs ! drawn. lie t’liniijht all should try to : jm!l together. .V house divided must ■ fall. If they couldn’t agree, he would , get out. “ Mr Patterson: Why were not the ! minutes of the last legalised meeting | recorded in tlie minute bool-:/ I Tlie ch.airman: AV.' me not dealing yet wilh minutes. \\ u an' (Hi Mr Simpson ’s resignation. Tfc- st .-iitarv s-id th? <-h:iirman mxl 1 (. h.qj to < onstilt f’ tic' bu-iness of t'. t- board. ihe chairnimi .advised that • a public c'm.iom f<-. bf.omh vi’ie-cn-tation piompK d : m K» pn-rpom- the meeting, and he aecortUngly carried out ’•ns.t ructions for postponement. He hud no “rievance with, mi' - member ]»erson- ’ ally. Hi thought it his <!'i!y to t ke I instructions from tlie (.-hainnan. I Air M*. 1 'it v'.••• pointed o '.t that th<‘: ’ M'crK:.rv was under the diroeHoji of answer for instructions given to the Air Patterson said the secretary hud ■ ij.rorvlewed mt: in members to see if ; *I’OV ■!"' a •.’Tenable to il postpone- < meiß. Komc were not as!;?-! —hiinseL*, | Mr Hawes a;-d Mrs Patterson were not consu 1 ted. 'i'-e secretary ignored certain nu mb. rs mid was guilty of jim tiAlr Hawes: Has the chairman the right to'override the bo rd by ignoring a resolution.’ Mr Caidwell: V chairman has tiepower to post; one a meeting. Voices: Oil, no! Oh. -”<K The secretary tbrn. mmi - an ecphuuiild Io what I "lid up !'•> the post1 Mr I’nttersoii til.-il asb I ft”' the ei-usiii.U' of the iniiuiti'S of the last spe- '’ Tlie'minuGm were reml by the ehnir Mr I’.itter.-on mo-,-Id that they be confirmed. Mr Howes seconded. Mr Mclntvri objected. He said no meeting was held 'because there were not four duly qualified members at the meeting. Mr i’atiei.on said the minutes were a. true record of the meeting. Mr Patterson - • id Mr Mclntyre could record his dissent, if he liked. On a call of voices, the ayos got it: Votes for, Mrs Patterson, Mr Patterson. Mr Caldwell objeM-d Io Mr Simpson taking anv part Mi I'attrrso'i: He w s at th? meeting ami has a right to vote. Th? ehnirnmn: No! Mr Pritt'-rson : Wt-11, 1 leav 1 ? the table. Mr Hawes ami Airs Patterson tol- , A Voice: A'ou kept away from last 'meeting with the object of preventing a quorum, and w? return the eompliMr Thom's: If that is how the town members intend to go on, we will all get out’ ' Tlie meeting then broke up. A teh’grmn from lhe Hon. J. Parr, Mudster of Public Health, then arrive I mid announced that nothing could be (lone without tlie approval of the department. 'l'emii'i's, giimantei'.s, etc., must, be submitted befoie The board ’-vould be allowed to take any definite And thus the alterations and extension to the Buller District Hospital have been brought for the time being, tu a definite ami conclusive stone end!