WESTPORT NOTES

Grey River Argus, 17 May 1943, Page 6

WESTPORT NOTES

[Our Own Correspondent.] WESTPORT, May 16.

The marriage was solemnised at the Catholic Cathedral, Christchurch, of Margaret Mary, second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Doyle, Norman's Hill Road, Onehunga, to Edward, second son of Mr. and Mrs. L. Tredennick, Palmerston Street, Westport. Mr. and Mrs. Treden nick’s future home will be at Otira. Section Leader Miss Myra Chandler, who has been visiting her parents, Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Chandler, Dommett Street, left yesterday for Auckland. She is under orders from the Land Army, and has the distinction of being the first girl from Westport to hold the position of Section Leader in the Land Army. The following letter from Mr. G. M. Powell, Secretary, of the Buller Hospital Board, was received by Westport Borough Council:— With reference to your’s of April 8, advising that your Council would only consent to the raising of a loan of £6,634 in connection with the erection of the laundry block, etc., providing that payments in connection with this loan can' be met without increasing the amount of levy as it stood last year, I have to state that to have submitted the application to the Loans Board with that proviso would probably have held the matter up. The matter was therefore, delayed pending the meeting in regard to hospital taxation, at which the chairman of the Board (Hon. W. H. Mclntyre) explained the position. The existing machinery governing hospital finance is such that anv proposed loan having the backing of the Department of Health (as this proposed loan has) would certainly have the Loan Board’s consent—though, as I have said, a provisional objection such as raised by your Council, would delay such consent. The position in regard to this year's levy as submitted to the Department "is: The levy for maintenance is lower than last year by £415 16s 9d and the levy for capital purposes is higher by £568 15s 2d. The reason for the increase of capital levy is not on account of proposed work, but to meet the cost of the following:—Erection of bulk store, Buller Hospital £145 4s 9d; erection of bulk store, kawatiri Hospital £342 6s 8d; purchase of portable X-ray unit £369 12s; purchase of bandage machine, £35; total £892 2s sd. None of these items were provided for in last year’s estimates, but the expenditure was very necessary. The Board was directed bv the Department, to keep considerable stock on hand in case of an emergency arising due to the war, but there was no place to house it, hence the expenditure on the bulk stores at the Buller and Kawatiri hospitals. The portable X-ray unit is of great benefit to patients, and is in all similar hospitals and should have been here years ago. The same remarks applv to the bandage making machine. This expenditure can be said to be non-recurring, and capital expenditure will in future be mainly repa'tments of loans. With this explanation I trust that your Council will be enabled to advise, like the County Council that you have no obiectioh to the proposed loan. Cr. Scully moved that the Council adhere to its previous decision. On principle he would not assent to the raising of Ihe loan as the' ratepayers should not be burdened with rates. No doubt the expenditure was necessary, but it was a Government responsibility and should be met from the Social Security Fund. Seconded by Cr. Elley. Cr. Thomas moved that the Council meet this obligation, but take a firm stand in the future. Cr. Thomas said the County Council supported the loan and as the work was in hand the Borough should agree. Cr. Howard said the work was necessary, but the ratepayers should not be rated for it, and supported the motion. The amendment was lost and the motion carried.

Mr. J. M. Robertson, chairman of Buller District Patriotic Committee, asknowledees the following; donations for the 1943 appeal: Millerton Patriotic Committee, per Mr. C. Orman ££7 8s; Miss C. M. Went £1: also for soldiers’ overseas parcels, Miss Went 18s; Mr. W. W TnHH