THE HOSPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1912, 22 July 1886, Page 2

THE HOSPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS.

SUBSIDIES TO BE WITHHELD

(from OUR OWN OOKKESI’ONDE.NT). Parliament BuTlinrs. July 27. The Wairnu Bon, 1 Board Inis to ihuik the ehanecs of accident for the payment of the 75 per cent. subsidy. Having been informed that the subsidy had been paid I interviewed the Premier this morning to ascertain the positions of other lccal bodii s in rega d to their subdclies, naturally thinking that if one was paid all the others woul I also be paid. Sir R. Stout received my ingornuition as to t] )o payment of the subsidy to the Wai au Board with incredulity, ant! assured ma that it was not so,and there must he some mistake, and so on ; hut on my rsmring him that I had received my* information frem the dele, ates who are he c in support of the pa! it ions praying for the payment of tin sc* subsi lies to the local bodies, he sai l it wis the first lie had heard of it, and that lie would make inquiries. Later in the day I received a memorandum from tho Premier, stating that the shhsidy had been paid in mistake by the Treaiu-y cleik. Attached to the Premi r’s memorandum was a minute from tho clerk in cha ge of the matter, stating that autlmrity for the payment had been given in error along with other au boride 1. I an afraid therefore the other local bodies who expect payment of their subsidies in consequence of tlu good fortune of the Wairuu Road Board, will he disappointed. Io fact, U>o Premier informed me tint lie had issued fresh instructions that all the subsidies are to be retain**d until the contributions f.r the hospital ar. paid.ln coni.cction with tins matter I may mention that Mr Henderson (Mayor) and Mr ,j >g. Ward were examined l day before the Public Petitions Committee on the petitions of dill rent local bodies praying that the subsidies be not wihheld. From all I can hear their evidence did not tend t« improve the position. I think it a mistake that tho petitiois weic not sent through the member for the district, instead of through Sir Geor.e Grey, who would attack Sir R. Stour, for whom ho has no 21 cat !ovj ; and this, no doubt, had us cfi\.ol in Commute\ Of c urse, the meeting of the I’e x*lons Committee i» not open to the proas, s 1 what I am giving you is only there lilt of a conVtr atiori with 0 member of that Ounmittec. I am informed that the Commillee has agreed to its ro .ort on the peii ions praying that subsidies sha l no longer be withheld, and that it wi 1 be presented to morrow. I und rstand that the Committee will report that the Government have acted quite consti'utianally in the nutter, and the G jvernment are perfectly justified in ho course they are taking,