Waimate.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIII, Issue 7325, 27 September 1898, Page 4

Waimate.

RATEPAYERS MEETING TO CONSIDER " THE SEPARATE INSTITUTIONS BILl." (from our own correspondent. ) .£■ meefcin ft ratepayers was held in the Library Hall on Saturday evening last to consider the claims of " The Separate Ins itiitions Act, 1898," and how ita passing would affect the Walmafce Hospital. His Worship _the Mayor, Mr R. Nicol, presided, and stated that the objecb of the meeting was to pass some resolution regarding clause 8 of the proposed Bill Mr J. F. Donglas, stated that he was nob there as chairman of the Hospital Committee, therefore what he had to say mnab be taken 39 pnrely his own private opinion. He considered the meeting ■honld get np a petition to be presented

to Parliament, objeutifli* tu clause 8 of the proposed Bill, one of the provisions being that LIOO per annum mast be voluntarily contributed, otherwise the Hospital would be'closed; s He quoted figures to show; tow •Hmaru benefited by the presetit arrangetd^hia 1 -detriment of t! Waifii4te. There would always be friction between the two Boards, until the Waimate Hospl- ; tal district was severed ; from 'Timaru. : ' : Mr J.-'Sinclair -said he would move "That this meeting of ratepayers enter its protest against the passing Into law of clause 8 of the Separate Institution Act, 1898, «nd of all clauses to the subscription of LIOO as being unfair;to this district, which is already highly rateci for hospital purposes, and would be the means of the District Board having the ; sole "direct control of our local hospital, . which it ; has striven for years to obtain, . and that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Premier, Captain Russell, and the Hon. Major Steward." Mr J. A.ttwill,seconded the above resolution. Mr Sinclair said he felt sure the Timaru people were at the bottom of having the LIOO ..voluntary contributions put in the Bill, and blamed the Chairman of the Timaru Board for. it. It would be most unfair to .Waimate, as the people "know the true position of affairs and would certainly not .voluntarily contribute' the LIOO, knowing that the Timaru Board, and not the Waimate Hospital, would benefit by it. Some years ago Mr M'Lean, who was then Chairman df the County Council, agreed with the wishes of the Waimate people, and was willing to agree to the Otaio as the severing line of the district, and a Bill was brought before the House with this object in view, but was not passed, and' mOre or less feeling had J always been exhibited by the Timaru Board, who plainly hinted that, if they had the opportunity, they would make the Hospital into an old man's home or casual ward ; and if the Bill now before the House were passed with the LIOO contribution still in it, they might look at no distant date to see the Hospital shut up. Mr W. J. Black would like to see another effort made to have Waimate cut off from Timaru and proclaimed a separate district, even if a smaller area had to be accepted. The Chairman considered it was too late to do anything in:this direction during the present session. The motion was then put and carried unanimously. Mr Douglas then moved, and Mr Mathias seconded, " That a petition be at once drawn up and taken round the district for signature, and sent on to Parliament along with the resolution previously passed. This resolution was carried. Mr J. Manchester was in favor of the Bill being perused by a solicitor, as other objectionable clauses might be found in it. He spoke strongly of the evident desire of the Timaru Board to see the Hospital closed, but said that it would never be accomplished. The Waimate people to a man would fight to the last to keep their Hospital open. Timaru would like to crush Waimate, and they would require watching. Mr G. Dash, considered that another meeting should be called to let the public get the true position of affairs with regard to the Hospital and the new Bill. Mr W, M. Hamilton was asked to read the rough draft of the petition as drawn np by him. It was understood that the Premier and Major Steward should be written to at once telling them of what was being done. A vote of thanks to the chair terminated the proceedings.