DEMAND FOR INQUIRY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 230, 27 August 1935, Page 4

DEMAND FOR INQUIRY

HOSPITAL IN DARKNESS

MINISTER’S REPLY

“As the supply of power to the Hospital is primarily a matter for tho Palmerston North City Council, it would appear that the hoard should first of all prosecute inquiries with that authority. As the Public "Works Department has no record of failure of power supply at the time in question, and as the supply of power for distribution is essentially one for local authorities licensed for that purpose, it does not. at this stage, appear that any special action by the Government is necessary.” This was the answer received by the Palmerston North Hospital Board, yesterday, afternoon, from the Minister of Health (Sir Alexander Young"), after he had discussed tire matter with the Minister of Public "Works (Hon. J. Bitchener), in reply to the resolution passed by the hoard at its last meeting asking for an inquiry to he conducted into the cessation" of the supply of light and power at the Hospital for a brief period from midnight on Sunday, June 30 last. The intimation given by the Minister lead to a protracted discussion, the issue as to who was actually responsible being the subject of another long argument. Subsequently, the question of future supply was discussed, a proposal emanating from a meeting at Rangiotu, to tire effect that the Power Board should give electricity direct from its own lines to the

Hospital, being held over pending the obtaining of information as to the board’s powers to enter the city area tor this purpose. “EXTRAORDINARY LETTER.” Comment was made by Mr A. E. Mansford that this was an extraordinary letter in view of the statement made by the Minister of Public "Works I to a City Council representative that, whether or not he withdrew tho special clause governing the conditions of power supply, tho Power Board owned the line. If the Minister was consistent that attitude did not reconcile with the latest statement. If tho City Council had no control over the lino, how could it be a matter for that body? “The reply we have received is just what we were entitled to expect,” said Mr V. E. Smith. He added that he was not present at the last meeting of the board and was puzzled as to how the board came to ask for an inquiry into a matter which was really one between the Power Board and the i City Council. He noticed that the : question had been raised by Mr Mans- I ford, who wanted to know “who turned out the lights.” "Why did lie not ask the Deputy-Mayor, who was sitting alongside him. The Hospital Board was not concerned in the dispute. The Citv Council bad contracted to supply the institution with electric power, and did not do so on that occasion. That proved conclusively that without the assistance of the Power Board it could not fulfil the contract. The time had come . when the matter should be “nipped in the bud.” For the Mavor of Palmerston North to come and use this board —” Mr Mansford : I rise to a point of order and object to the statement “use this hoard.” , „ _ „ Mr Smith: Well, what shall I say? Mr Mansford: 1 do not care what you say. . . The chairman (Mr ,T. K. Hornblow) said it was their duty to ascertain the cause of the failure of the lights, which might have involved a matter of life or death. Any board member was entitled to raise the question, and now the Minister’s reply had been received.

Mi Smith: The matter is a most serious one. I maintain that the City Council knew that the power was going to he cut off. Mr Mansford: That is not correct. The council did not know. Mr Smith stated that the council know the existing arrangement for supply to its area through the board was to be terminated, and should have safeguarded its consumers. The lights at the Awapuni Home, in the Power Board’s area of supply, did not fail. The City Council, on the idea of the extra charges involved, had not accepted supply. Mr Smith was satisfied that the Hospital Board had no right to be brought into the argument at all, and, even so, it was a matter for the Citv Council to explain. MEMBERS AT VARIANCE. Mr Mansford read out a report furnished to the City Council by its engineer, summarising the events which occurred on the Sunday in cpiestion. He said this showed the position so far as the City Council was concerned.

Tho Hospital Board’s managing-secret-ary had, lie said, received some other information that day which led him to provide torches. The City Council had been led to believe that the power would not ho cut off.

“No, I object. That is incorrect,” declared Mr J. Boyce, who said Mr Mansford was doing his host to place the blame on the hoard. The town clerk had, he added, received a letter at 8.30 a.in. on the Saturday indicating distinctly what the Power Board intended to do. Tho power was left available for Palmerston North to take it if it wanted it, but, because of the small extra payment entailed, it chose to plunge the city into darkness.

Mr J. Hodgens suggested that the discussion was quite outside the province of the Hospital Board. The matter would lie settled by the Supreme Court, and he moved that the hoard proceed with the next business.

Mr Boyce submitted that they should hear the Power Board’s version ns set out in the letter delivered on the Saturday to the town clerk.

Mr Hodgens: Let it bo read by all means. The chairman suggested that the matter could be closed by asking the City Council to take stops to safeguard the Hospital Board against a recurrence of the position in the future. It was futile to prolong the discussion. They had asked for an explanation through the Minister, who was the head of the department, and had received his reply. The discussion was now following other lines. Dir Mansford said that both lie and Mr Hodgens had sought an inquiry in their capacity as members of the Hospital Board, and if the blame could ho sheeted home to the City Council they would accept it. A serious tiling had occurred, and they were entitled to know who was responsible. Mr Smith said that although the Hospital Board were the victims, the City Council should have instituted an inquiry long ago. It was not a matter for the Hospital Board, hut tho question, which had been raised by Mr Mansford.

Mr Mansford: And quite rightly, too. Is there to he an inquiry?

Mr J. A. Nash. M.P., said that if tho Power Board’s letter were read it would only prolong the discussion.

The chairman: Undoubtedly it will. Mr Nash: Then why read it? It will only lend to another argument, and wo will he here all the afternoon. COR RESPONDENT:! I ! PRODUCED. Mr G'. A. Monk said that, having heard the correspondence on one side of tho question, the board was really bound to hear the other. Mr Mansford said the correspondence which had been read was merely a reiteration of the events which had led up to the request for the inquiry. The Power Board’s letter to the City Council was then read. It stated that the board intended to cut oil" the supply at midnight on the Sunday, but that there would be a supply available on certain terms.

Tho chairman said the Minister had replied that lie had had no notification of the failure of the supply. The matter could he closed by asking the City Council to safeguard the Hospital in the future if the supply was to he cut off.

Mr Mansford said that on the Saturday afternoon the City Council had received advice from the Minister of Public Works that the power would he available or certain terms, and later, from the acting-Primc Minister, information that it would be available. Mr Bovee: And so it was.

Mr Mansford: That is a matter of opinion.

Commenting that the subject had had a fair amount of ventilation, the chairman then proceeded with tho next business. FUTURE SUPPLY. Advice was received from the Rangiotu branch of the Amalgamated Farmers' Unions that its committee and members, together with ratepayers representing Glen Oroua, Taikorea, Mnnguwlmta, Bainesse and Rangiotu had, at a meeting held at Rangiotu, passed a resolution that the Hospital Board consider the advisability of obtaining its light and power direct from the Mnnawatu-Oroua Power Board.

Mr Boyce said the proposal was for the Power Board to supply, under suitable terms and conditions, current direct to the Hospital, as the country people were contributing twothirds of the cost of maintaining the Institution. He moved that the man-aging-secretary be instructed to forward to the Power Board a list’of the Hospital’s electricity requirements, and the tariff it was paying, to see if something could not be done for supply by the board, though he did not advocate paying a higher price than at present.

The chairman said he did not want to raise any controversial point, but the tariff was a variable one and favoured the City Council on this point, as the Hospital Board paid on a higher scale to the Power Board for electricity use at Awapuni. If the board was to supply the Hospital, it meant reticulating, and the provision of power lines. Mr Mansford asked how many attended the Rangiotu meeting. Mr Boyce said there were 40 to 50 present. “I think that we will get ourselves into some difficulty if we do not handle this matter carefully,” counselled Mr Monk, who moved, ns an amendment, that before taking tho action suggested by Mr Boyce, they should ascertain the legal position, and find out whether the Power Board had authority to erect lines in the city. Any supply authority could not go all round the country supplying everyone willy-nill.v. They liad to keep within the bounds of the regulations governing them. Mr Howell, who had seconded Mr Boyce’s motion, said that Palmerston North was in the Power Board s nrc«i, and lig believed tb-e board bad the right to run lines through, the city in anv direction. . Mr'Monk said it would be quite easy to obtain the opinion of the 1 üblic ‘Works Department. Mr F. J. Ryder seconded the amendment. . . Mr Boyce: No regulation is wanted* at all. The board has a definite license over Palmerston North. Mr Hodgens said the reasonable thing to do was to ascertain the legal position first. The amendment was carried.