WAIKATO COUNTY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9452, 24 August 1889, Page 6

WAIKATO COUNTY COUNCIL.

[BY TELEGRAPH,* —OWN* CORRESPONDENT.] Hamilton, Friday. At the Waikato County Council meeting today—present : Messrs. Primrose (chairman), and Seddon, Barngh, Forrest, and Johnson — Colonel Burton's agent wrote repudiating his share of expense of making a road to his land on the plea that the road was badly made. Mr. Johnson said the road was as good as any in the district. The Piako Council wrote promising to co-operate in interviewing the Railway Commissioners for a reduction of freights, and appointing Messrs. Brunskill and Williams as their delegates. The engineer reported against the bridge applied for by Mr. Waugh as being too great an undertaking, and recommending that a settler named Houlihan should be stopped from fencing the road _ through his land only half -a - chain wide, as the full width will be required. He stated that he had obtained a good line of road for the Matahura Road' deviation. It was resolved to call for tenders for the erection of a small bridge at Selwood, and also for the improvement of the road. The following tenders were dealt with for building the Matahnra bridge and approaches : —George and J. R. Hill, bridge £83, earthworks 7d per yard; William Thompson, bridge £67 9s, earthwork 7d per yard ; Hubbard and Milne (accepted), bridge £54 17s Sd, earthwork 7d per yard. Mr. Johnson reported that he had had to expend £2 10s in making the Meremea bridge secure. Mr. Forrest complained, on behalf of the local bodies, of the alleged extravagant management ot the Waikato Hospital. He read a table of comparison drawn up by Mr, James Hally, of Cambridge, comparing the cost of the Waikato Hospital with 13 other hospitals in the colony. He moved, " That this Council is of opinion that the working expenses of the Waikato Hospital is excessive compared with other District Hospitals of about the same size ; we therefore wish our representatives to the Board to ask for an enquiry, so as to devise means for a more economical management." Seconded by Mr. Johnson. The Chairman said this tabular statement

came in bad taste from Mr. Hally, who sat on the Hospital Board in the very year complained of, and regularly drew his 15s per day for travelling expenses to its meetings. He pointed out that the figures as drawn up were fallacious. Mr. Seddon pointed out that there was no| parallel between Waikato and the hospital district 'referred to by Mr. Hally. He showed that Mr. Hally's statement was misleading. Mr. Forrest protested against any idea that it was -wished to supersede either of the two representatives for the county, but rather to strengthen their hands. He hoped they would ask for an enquiry. Mr. Barugh said he would like to see the medical officer's whole time devoted to the Hospital. He believed that the fees received from out-patients would more than make up the extra salary asked by the doctor. The motion was put and lost, Messrs Forrest and Johnson voting for, and Messrs. Primrose, Seddon and Barueh against. The Chairman stated that had the motion hoen carried, be would have at once resigned his seat on the Hospital Board, as it was a slur on himself and nis coadjutor Mr. Seddon. Mr. Hally j figures and statement would be corrected in j the proper place. 1