HOSPITAL CHAIRMAN.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4989, 18 June 1926, Page 3

HOSPITAL CHAIRMAN.

MR W. E. HALE RE-ELECTED. DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN MR. DANBY. The first business of the meeting of the Thames Hospital Board on Monday was the election of a chairmi),n for the ensuing term.

The retiring chairman (Mr W. E. Hale) vacated the cha,ir, which was taken by the secretary (Mr G. Tonge). On the calling for nominations for the position Mr E. L. Walton proposed that Mr Hale should fill the chair for a further term. Mr C. W. Parfitt seconded.

There being no further nominations Mr Hale was declared elected, and he took the chair a,mid acclamation. In returning thanks tor his re-elec-tion Mr Hale expressed his gratitude for the hearty support and co-opera-tion that had been accorded him in the past, and expressed the hope that the, same harmonious relations would exist in the future. As chairman and a member of the board he had tried conscientiously to do his best, and while it had not been possible to please everybody he ha,cl at all times made an honest endeavour to carry out the duties pertaining to the office with satisfaction. On the motion of Mr J. Rowe, seconded by Mr A. R. Robinson, it was resolved that the chairman’s honorarium remain the same. DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN. For the position of deputy-chairman Mr Robinson moved that Mr J. W. Danby be re-elected. Mr W. J. Hall seconded. In tha,nking the members for nominating him Mr Danby said he felt tha.t the position should not be filled by a man who was content to be a mere, figurehead. He thought the deputy-chairman should have authority and an equal say with the chairman, and unless this was agreed upon he would decline nomination.

Mr Robinson agreed, and said that in time of staff troubles in the institution immediate action was desirable. It was not satisfactory to deal wfith such matters over the telephone, and it was not always possible for the chairman to be in Thames at short notice. On such occasions the deputy-chairma.n should have authority to act. The chairman pointed out that so far as staff matters were concerned the board was paying responsible officers to administer such’affairs.

Mr Kennedy remarked that he saw a lot of fun ahea4 if the deputychairma.n was to be given unlimited authority, Mr Walton said that it was not desirable that the deputy-chairman should be a figurehead. In regard to authority, he thought the chairman and deputy-chairman should be prepared to accept responsibility and work together. The members could safely rely on Mr Danby’s good sense and business acumen to perform the duties of the office without doing anything derogatory to the chairman’s position. He thought that the appointment of Messrs Hale and Danby as chairman and deputy-chair,man respectively, would be an equal balance between town and country. The discussion then ended, and there being no further nominations Mr Danby was declared elected.