“TAP-ROOM GOSSIP”

Grey River Argus, 29 May 1925, Page 3

“TAP-ROOM GOSSIP”

I BOROUGH COUNCIL’S CRITICISM. .. RESENTED BY HOSPITAL BOARD. “WIZARDS OF FINANCE” “Wizards of Finance,” “Tap.room Gossip” anil “Pick and Shovel”* These arc a few of the terms that were applied to the Greymouth Borough Council at yesterday afternoon’s meet, ing of the Hospital Board, anent the criticism that was hurled at that body by the Council, at its last meeting regarding the Hospital levy. The criticism of some of the Board members yesterday afternoon was in the natur> of a. boomerang. The subject wsa brought up yesterday by Mn E. Ashton, who stated that he “took exception to the remarks of some Wizards of Finance at the last meeting of the Borough Council criti. Rising* the Board and its financial transactions. I am satisfied that wo have done our duty.; We have not wasted any money.l I think that if the Mayor had done the same thing as the Chairman -of the County Council (who. by the w*ay is also chairman of th? Hospital Board) and taken the members of the Council up to the Hospital to allow them to see what wo arc doing 1 there would not have been any of this criticism. I think that the Hospital Board has done marvellously good work During the War, people had to go away to Christchurch and other parts of the Dominion to receive treatment.” During the last few years however continued Mr Ashton, the Board had dono marvellous work. It was the aim of the Board to make the Hospital second to none in New Zealand. The Board had not the large revenue from rateable property that was the case in other centres. Some land here was not worth more than £2 10s per acre, where as in the other districts it was worth £4O per acre. The Doctor at the Grey Hospital was doing the work of two surgeons. The matron and nurses were lat present so housed that, after coming off a ten.hour spell of duty, they had no comforts, such as a. piano, or other amusements. lie was of opin. ion that the remarks made at the Borough Council were made in ignor ance. If the Councillors who made them were to have a talk with mem. bers of the Board, and see what the Board was endeavouring to do, and |is doing, and how much more was required to be done, he (the speaker) felt sure the remarks would never have been made. lie thanked the Mayor (Mr Parfitt) for defending the Boarl in the manner it did. ” Although these remarks were pass, ed bv these ‘Wizards of Finance’/’ concluded Mr Ashton, “I must say that have never noticed them offering help in Hiiy cf eur nppei’ls." (ILnr. lienr). TAP ROOM GOSSIP. “I am only pleased Mr Ashton ha * brought this matter up,” said Mr J. Brislane. ”1 risenl th'- insults the Borough Council has heaped upon the JJ ::>] itut Board. One ‘Wizard of Fi. nance’ says we are reckless with our expenditure, and did not collect our outstanding revenue. If this particular ‘Wizard <f Finance ’ likes to look back at the pages of ‘Truth’, he will see that the Borough Council failed to collect outstanding revenue to the extent of £4OOO. Another man said we are playing poker with the funds of the institution. 1 think they would all be well advised in not paying too much attention to tap.room gossip. Let some of them pay more heed to the pick and shovel and four.by-two, rind leave Hospital matters to the Board’s administration. THE MAYOR. The Mayor said he upheld what the Board did at the Council meeting. He stated that the 'Board was compelled to spend money, and noted the fact that no simialr institution in the Dornin ion were decreasing their levies. Rather were they increasing it to keep up with the times in the matter of more up-to-date appliances. The duty of the Board and of every ratepayer was to 'alleviate suffering (hear hear). At next ■ meeting of the Council he intended extending an invitation to the Council to visit the Hospital and sec what was being done..

Mr Brailsford: In Cobden we rccog nised it was a good cause, and we agreed to pay it without any comment at all. The Chairman said he did not intend to mention the matter. However, he was pleased Mr Ashton had mentioned the matter. If any person could show him (the speaker) where the Board was wasting money he would be pleased .c jyiswer him. He would like to point out to Mr Grcenslade that the Tatepay ers are paying the same rate this year as they did last year. The levy had not been increased.