THAMES DISTRICT CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 131, 5 December 1885, Page 7

THAMES DISTRICT CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

The' adjourned meeting '<jf y the TlianJie? District Charitable Aid lWrd was 'held in the Thames Borough Council Cham : hers the same evening. Present Messrs J. Renshaw /-chairman), Colebrook, Greenvillu, J. B. Smith, and Walsh. The Chairman read the following legal opinion, which had been received from' Sir Frederick Whitaker upon questions which the Board had submitted to him :«•- In my opinion the Board has not the power to aprortion the amount to be contributed by the subdivision of their district as they think fair, but the contributions must be proportioned to the rateable property, as 1 defined by the Rating Act 1876, or the Rating Act 1882. The latter part of the clause 23 doe 3 not appear to me to do more than require that a resolution of the Board shall be passedfixingthe amount in monoy payable by eßch subdivision of the district, and these amounts must be proportioned according to the rateable property in the several subdivisions of the district. There does not appear to be any provision in the Act compelling local authorities to contribute directly to hospital funds. It is true that under section 59 the District Board is required to provide funds for Hospitals, and these funds are levied on the local authorities, but I am of opinion that this indirect contribution does not give a qualification for the election of trustees. The Act contemplates two classes of voluntary contributors : (1), Private individuals ; (2), Local authorities, and these latter being such contributors, are eutitled to elect, but they must be voluntary contributors, beyond what they are indirectly compelled to pay through the niedium of the Districts Boards. Clause 47 provides for cases where there are only live local authorities (sub-sec. 1 ), and also where there are more than five (sub-sec. 2,; but omits to make any provision lor cisos when tjere are less than five. As m this case there are but four subdivisions there is an apparent difficulty, and the only way I can suggest of getting out of it is to adopt the doubtful course of reading " only " as me intng " not exceeding," which, no doubt, would give effect to the intention of the Legislature. ( Signed ) — Fked. Whitaker, 24tn November, 1685. Mr Smith pointed out th*t no guidance had been obtained as to the question which he hat! raised, whether the district could be sub-divided in the distribution of the rates according to requirements of each portion. He had intended asking the Board to take some such step, for under the proposed arrangement the Piako County Council wouJd be obliged to pay two-thirds of the charitable aid in the united district. After some discussion, Mr Smith explained that his object was to secure the establishment of a separate institution in the Piako County, with power to collect their own rates, and manage their own affairs. If this were not gained, and the Board passed the resolution authorising the demand upon the bodies, then Piako County fully intended to appeal to the Colonial Secretary. The Chairman said the Board seemed, from the lesral opinion?, to have no option but to make the demands upon tiie local bodies, in exact proportion to the nr cable v ilups of me properties in each B' trough and County Mi Green vili<*. bi'tftf'JSie-l that thefir.sf demand s.ioukl be made only for t..e four months ending March 1 iB6, as it miuht be found that tue maintenance of the institutions wouni not cost so union as hat I been estimated by the Board. Irir kSmiLii proposed " i hat the P.ako County be made u separate subdivision, ami that the situt to be deiil-in-ucd U* a sum equal to tue requirement* of soeh county." He regretted that a legal opinion had not been obtained upon the question, for as he in-terprete-l the Act the Board had power t© grant the sub-division by resolution. The motion was not seconded, and therefore lasped. Toe o'iairman moved, '• That this Board demand from the PiaUo, Ohinemuri, and Coromanlel County Councils an 1 the Th »m"s Borodqh respectively such sum a's, on the re.lat.ive ratable values will pro-lure in all £834 for the four months ending 3 1st March, 188G, for charitable aid purposes. Mr Greenville seconded the resolution, which Was carried. The Chairman and Mr Dean (actingsecretary) were appointed a committee to calculate the levies and make formal demands. It was' stated that the rate would amount approximately to one eighth of a penny upon the ratable value of property. : It was agreed that the Coromandel, Ohinemuri, and Piako County Councils should be requested to nominate a person or- persons to superintend and distribute charitable aid witnin their respective districts, subject to the Board's officer. '„ It was resolved that the Chairman take steps to to have' all the institutions under the Boards care vested in itself. < Mr H. T. Rowo was appointed secretary and treasurer to .the Boards/ at' a salary of £100 per annum, - u < On Tuesday both Boards', melt in committee, and the' following we're' the amounts,' which the Secretary^ .was] authorised to demandfrom ]t\ys respective focal' boo 1 ies named as' tlleir proportion to wants the amounts for''Hospital and, also ,'for jQluu'iiafyJe A' 1 * V^ I '"' poses up to #<Bfc 'M'.irch^lbßG 1 ! — Hospi tal i Biicfrogh \ ? • £4l>; L Od ; 4di