CITY REPRESENTATION ON HOSPITAL BOARD.

Colonist, Volume XLIX, Issue 11967, 21 June 1907, Page 4

CITY REPRESENTATION ON HOSPITAL BOARD.

(To the Editor.) Sir, — Kindly allow me sufficient space for a few comments on your report of the discussion which took !>laca on Friday evening at the City Council, on the question of representation on the Hospital and Uhari table Aid Board. The Mayor said he thought Messrs Harrison, Pettit md Atmore showed bad taste in not haying asked the opinion of the Council as to whether they should resign. Did he forget, or does he think everyone else has forgotten that when he was defeated by Mr Baigent in 1905 he retained his position on the Board until his term expired And yet he has the effrontery to blame us for so 'Joing. Uounclors Franklyn and Grace also thought the members should have resigned. Well, well, well. I do not think their opinion will disturb the equanimity of the three gentlemen referred to. In view of the recent disgraceful dismissal of a responsible official without allowing him a hearing, I do not think any person would consider the Mayor to be an arbiter elegantiarum, or Councilor Franklyn an authority on "Civic Righteousness" The motion appears to be the outcome of peculiar minds and, personally, I should cot have considered resignation even had the motion been carried unanimously, instead of being defeated. Now, had these three Councilors taken the trouble to consult the "Colonist's" report of the first Hospital Board meeting after the Council election, they would have seen that we did put the question of our resignations in the hands of the Board's members. The Board elected us, not the Council, consequently our resignations were put into therespon sible body. Some of the Councilors appeared to overlook the fact that in the event of resignation the Council would not have had the ri^ht to appoint the new members — that privilege belongs to the Board, who could elect any ratepayer. The members of the Board would not bear of our resigning, pointing out that a break in the middle of the year would interfere with the important business then under consideration. We are at present busy with details of a building scheme whereby the aged people, who ar9 at present occupying the insanitary building on Waimea-street, may be moved to a new and more comfortable home. 1 believe, Sir, that you can guage the standard of any civilisation by noting the care bestowed on the aged and helpless of the community, and if Nelson is to be so judged it is imperative that we should- press on with the building scheme, and, Sir, it is for that purpose only that we consented to stay on the Board. We considered we were doing our duty, and that we shall continue to do, notwithstanding any amount of illtimed carping criticism which may be directed against us. The Wellington Council at a" recent meeting asked those old Councilors who were on the Board to continue to represent the city on it. I hope I have made it perfectly clear that the present Mayor, Mr Piper, did not resign from the Board when h6 was defeated for the Mayoral chair, and that we did place our resignations in the hands of the body which elected us and were then asked to remain. I must thank the majority of the Council for the proper stand they took in the matter, and as for the Mayor and Councilors Grace and Franklyn — well; I am j afraid they will have to wait— the seats are not yet vacant! Thanking you, Mr Editor, for Bpace, Sw--. 1 am, etc., ™|fer HARRY ATMORE.