WASTE AND DRIFT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23954, 2 May 1941, Page 8

WASTE AND DRIFT

LABOUR BO ABB'S TERM WELLINGTON HOSPITAL INDICTMENT BY MAYOR (0.C.) WELLINGTON, Thursday There was an inexplicable reluctance on the part of candidates for tho Hospital Board to say what they thought of hospital control, said the Mayor, Mr. T. C. A. liislop, speaking at a public meeting. Somebody had to come into the open and express himself candidly. The record of tho board, in sharp distinction from the record ol the City Council, had been one of ineptitude, waste, and muddlement. I'or that he blamed the Labour control ot the board during; the earlier years of the term. . . ~ "It. is no use trying to hide lads, said Mr. Ilislop. ''At. the last election the majority returned were members of the Labour Party, and from that time on the Hospital Board embarked upon the most wasteful period in the history of the hoard. I agree that the policy of extending hospital services is sound, but the board to which I refer has thrown away thousands of pounds to no purpose. "Thousands Squandered" "It had plan after plan prepared and scrapped; it started certain, works and stopped them; thousands squandered, nothing achieved. I do not agree that new candidates should avoid controversial aspects of the question ol hospital management and control. They should come right out and say what they think. "Labour's record on the Hospital Board has been one of drift, disclosing an utter inability to envisage the scheme that, is necessary to provide ade<) ua I e accollimoda t ion.' ' Mr. II is lop said. "The former chairman ol the hoard, Mr. .1. (Hover, has not yet spoken upon an election platform, but when he does I hope someone will ask him to explain why architects were instructed to prepare plans, costing thousands of pounds, which had no reference to the work which the Hospital Board was going to carry out. Monument to Inefficiency "It is time that those members who were responsible for such a record should be turned right out of office," concluded the Mayor. Mr. .1. C. Crawford, a sitting member of the board, says a great part of the muddle over the main building at Newtown; which the Labour members had determined to push ahead, was that two of their members had supported the I lull Hospital and the big biock was held up. so that all they had to show was a huge hole in tho ground, as a monument to their inefficiency. "The IMO.OOO spent on plans," he said, "miidit just as well have been chucked into the harbour."