CRY OF EXTRAVAGANCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18942, 13 February 1925, Page 12

CRY OF EXTRAVAGANCE.

WAIKATO HOSPITAL BOARD. POSITION NOT UNDERSTOOD. [BX TELEGRAPH. —OWN correspondent] HAMILTON. Thursday. Reference was made to-day, at a meeting of the W r aikato Hospital Board, to an allegation of extravagance made by the Waipa County Council, when a protest was received from the Piako County Council against the extra amount of £6OOO, to bo spent on tho To Kuiti Hospital. It was urged that this would involve an extra burden on the ratepayers, wlio wero already complaining of their heavy taxation. The county's representative on the board had voted against tho motion, but had been out-voted, and it was feared that other, and perhaps larger, sums would bo voted in the same way. It was suggested that a moro satisfactory understanding could be arrived at if a conference of tho local bodies concerned wero held. Mr. A. A. Wagstaff objected to the reports appearing in the press concerning the allegations of extravagance made by the chairman of the Waipa County Council. The suggestion was being followed up by other local bodies, and was being greatly exaggerated. Mr. Alexander said that tho word "extravagance " had not actually been used. The contention of the Waipa County had been that there would be a deficit of some £15,000, and strong objection was taken to the erection of little hospitals all over the district, which must necessarily affect the efficiency of the main ho- pital. Objection had not been taken to the To Kuiti scheme in particular; tho objection was against the erection of these small hospitals generally. The chairman, Mr. J. P. Bailey, pointed out that members of the board were the custodians of public health, and it was a question of whether they should sit still or move energetically forward. The board was not doing sufficient in the interests of health, especially for maternity cases. The local bodies were not properly conversant with the facts of tho extra expenditure, said Mr. A. G. Dent, who pointed out that £15,000 had been raised by Te Kuiti itself. It was decided to notify the Piako County Council that the board was prepared to meet any conference of local bodies that might be instituted.