FREE MILK

Southland Times, Issue 22449, 12 October 1934, Page 6

FREE MILK

COUNCIL’S ATTITUDE HOSPITAL BOARD DISCUSSION MAYOR AND CHAIRMAN “I was rather surprised to see that the chairman at last meeting of the board had referred to members of the Invercargill City Council as men with hearts of stone and feet of clay,” said his Worship the Mayor (Mr John Miller) when the free milk scheme came up for discussion at the Southland Hospital Board meeting yesterday. “The City Council was very sympathetic to the request, but like its representative on the Hospital Board felt that the money should come through one channel. Mr Polson has propounded a scheme based on financial assistance from local bodies and social organizations. I think he is wrong too; the Public Health Department should find the money, the people as a whole thereby contributing.” “I don’t agree with you," said the chairman (Mr T. Golden). “You were one of those who attended the combined meeting when the extension of the scheme inaugurated by the Rotary Club was discussed. You knew that the principal need was finance. There was no use sitting down waiting for the State to come along with a cartload of milk. The State looks for a lead and that lead is not confined to the Hospital Board. Every body represented at the meeting with the exception of the City Council has given something to the scheme. I may say I am not surprised at the attitude of the council. You can’t get grapes from thorns and figs from thistles. The scheme at present is for the benefit of the city children. The City Council will be reaping where it has not sown.” The Mayor: Quite a lot of money is going from the Mayor’s Relief Fund to workers who are helping county ratepayers, but the county is not giving to the relief fund. The Chairman: I admit you have done good work for the unemployed, but what about the children?

T'he Mayor: The children are not going without. The Chairman: It is no thanks to the City Council that they are not. I’ll say this for his Worship: that he has been consistent, for at the first meeting he said he considered it was a matter for the Health Department. But the department looks for a lead. The Mayor: I wish to remind the chairman that at the initial meeting he said that some recommendation would probably come from the Dairy Commission.

The chairman: There probably will be a recommendation, but we couldn’t wait.

Mr H. E. Niven: If the Mayor is consistent he will move that the board pay all the money required. The Mayor: His Worship does not move motions unless he thinks they will be successful. The Mayor then remarked that though the County Council had promised a grant, the cheque had not been received yet. He doubted if it would be forthcoming. The chairman: It will come all right. Mr Niven: The scheme is in its initial stages and is for the benefit of city children at present. The City Council, I think, might waive a little of its economy plan. Had the Mayor given a lead opposite to that he did give the result may have been different. The discussion then lapsed. ’The secretary reported having written to the Southland County Council and the Waikiwi school committee conveying thanks for promised assistance. He also reported that the application to the Bluff Harbour Board would be considered at its meeting on October 17.