NEGLECT OF DUTY

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12323, 18 December 1925, Page 6

NEGLECT OF DUTY

CHARGE AGAINST CITY COUNCIL DELAY IN HOUSING MOTOR AMBULANCE ANOTHER DEPUTATION TO COUNCIL Charges of neglect of duty were brought against the . City Council by members of the Wellington Hospital Board yesterday, when discussing the manner in which the former had treated the hoard’s request to provide hdusing accommodation for the new motor ambulance.

The secretary reported that he had again written to the Mayor stating that the board had not had the courtesy of a reply to the deputation which waited upon the finance committee in March last. The hoard had accepted delivery of the new Austin motor ambulance van, which was in commission, and it was hoped the council would provide for its care and housing at an early dato. Mr C. H. Chapman asked if any reply Had been received. The secretary replied that the letter had not been acknowledged Mr Chapman urged that it was essential, in the interests of the citizens, that the ambulance should be stationed in the city. While it was useful to have an ambulance at the hospital its usefulness was limited. It was not the hoard’s business to provide and house the ambulance, but it was desirous of helping, “We put the request to the council that they should help hv providing housing accommodation, and it is regrettable that they should practically ignore out request, and should fail to realise their responsibilities as a council. It is hard to say what to do in the circumstances. The chairman explained what the hoard had done in the matter already in the way of deputations, and he himself had seen the Mayor, who promised to look into it. He said it was honed to make provision in the new fire brigade arrangements. The Rev. H. Van Staveren thought the council should he called upon to exnlain whv it Had neglected its duty. Mr Castle also spoke, and finally it was decided that another deputation should wait upon the Mayor and council.