HOSPITAL MATTERS

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 68, Issue 5942, 12 May 1944, Page 2

HOSPITAL MATTERS

DECENTRALISATION FAVOURED VIEWS OF MORRINSVILLE CANDIDATE A statement has' been handed to the Morrinsville branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union by Mr A. G. Yardley, whose candidature for one of the Te Aroha-Piako-Morrins-ville seats on the Waikato Hospital Board has been announced, in response to an invitation to give his views on two subjects in which branches are concerned. Mr Yardlev states:— “In view of the lack of unanimity among farmers at recent meetings, and the little interest in the subjects in the two boroughs incorporated in the representation, I would prefer not to commit mystelf on the suggestion not to strike rates at present. I would point out that no alternative way of raising the required amount for the conduct of hospitals has yet been brought forward.

“Regarding the restriction of capital expenditure, I would ask the New Zealand Farmers’ Union representatives what position they would expect me to take up if a proposal were brought forward for the erection of a hospital at either Te Aroha or Morrinsville? Huntly, Matamata, Kawhia, Te Kuiti, Rotorua and Taupo have such institutions. Practically the only major places in the Waikato Hospital Board’s area which have not are Te Aroha, Morrinsville, Cambridge and Te Awamutu. Three of these boroughs were until a few weeks ago represented by the one man. Te Aroha is only approximately three miles nearer the main hospital than Matamata. 1 think 1 would not be true to my representation were 1 to bind myself to such a suggestion as now brought before me. “I informed Mr Morrice, one of the sitting members, nearly two months ago that I would be a candidate, and wrote to leading citizens of Te Aroha. My decision was in conformity with a promise I made fifteen months ago that if I regained my health I would stand for the seat. I have some very definite ideas of the line of action a representative from this district should take. One is that of decentralisation.