CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2163, 5 December 1885, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

c--MR BUCHANAN IN EXPLANATION,

To the Editor,

_ Sir,—ln your leader of yesterday's issue you state that at the first meeting of the Hospital Board in Masterton, I argued that the Chairman had neither an original nor a casting vote, and that 1 should now make an. oxplanahon of my change of opinion at the Greytown meeting. At the Masterton meeting I pointed out an omission in the act, inasmuch as it did not contain the usual provision defining the voting power of the Chairman, and I consequently stated my opinion that he could exercise only a .casting vote—citing the practice of the House of -Representatives in support of my view. You are therefore in error in stating that I argued the Chairman had neither an original' nor a casting vote. I further stated my belief that the necessary voting power would have to be given to the Chairman, and that the Governor could do so under the 99th clause. Subsequent to the Masterton meeting I found that several competent authorities were also of opinion, in that the absence of the usual provision, the Chairman could not legally exercise two votes, and this view was further confirmed by an opinion from the Crown law officers laid before the Board at the Greytown meetmp, stating that under the 69th section, the Board itself could supply the omission by ordinary resolution and legally make regulations on the subject. The Board at once proceeded to do this, and was unanimous, as shown by your own report—that it was absolutely necessary that the Chairman should have an original and a casting vote in order to prevent the complete block of business which would otherwise bo inevitable in a Board numbering only four members, I am, oto,, W. C, Buchanan-. Tupurupuru, 3rd December, 1885, [Mr Buchanan's memory fails him a little. It was Mr Bunny who first raised the question of the chairman having a vote of any sort. P[o a,rgu,ed that he had no p.rdjnary vote, nor a casting vote, because neither was provided for in the Aot. He further held . that it would give the chairman an overwhelming power if he had both. Mr Buchanan fully supported these views. That the reports which were then published wore correct, may be inferred from the fact that Mr Buchanan did not then point out any error, though, if any there was, it must necessarily have been a very serious one.-Ed, W.D.]