THE HOSPITAL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XIX, Issue 2050, 2 December 1924, Page 5

THE HOSPITAL.

BOARD SHOULD ASSIST. THE MAYOR SPEAKS OUT. The letter to the Borough Council from the borough representative on the Waikato Hospital Hoard, Mr A. Blackman, n summary of which has already appeared in these columns, came up at the meeting of the council last night. The Mayor referred to the new position caused by the Department’s additions to the plans. The board had found about £IO,OOO for liuntly and £4OOO for Matamata, and he thought they should do the same for Te Kuiti. The council had withdrawn its objection to those proposals when it was told that Te Kuiti would probably require assistance later on, and would not be in a position to ask for it if they had objected to the board helping Huntly anl Matamata. He thought that the board was under an obligation to help Te Kuiti now. We had raised £15,000 while Huntly had raised only £2OOO and Matamata about £2500. He understood that Mr Blackman had said he and Mr Lee, the county member, were doing their utmost and did not wish the council to send a deputation to the board. Cr O’Connell moved that a deputation go to the board. Te Kuiti had waited too long already, and he thought a deputation might be able to do something. He understood the Waitomo County alone was paying more to the board than the whole of Hamilton with 15,000 inhabitants. The council should send a deputation and ask the county to participate. The Mayor: We do not want to go alone. I would not advise clashing with our representatives’ wishes, as we might lose their sympathy. Cr Boddie deprecated sending a deputation. The 'Mayor felt that the board might come to a decision at the next meeting, and it would then be difficult to shift them. Still he did not want to clash with the local representatives. They had offered to send a deputation and the representatives had said they did not wish it. The council did not wish to take it out of their hands, but had thought it would give them weight. Cr O’Connell: It would be no reflection on them. They are only two out of 14. It was decided to leave the matter in abeyance.