THE MAYOR OF HAMILTON AND THE HOSPITAL BOARD.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2133, 11 March 1886, Page 3

THE MAYOR OF HAMILTON AND THE HOSPITAL BOARD.

TO THK hDirOK. Sir,— Wha will he a traitor kn.ivc > Wha wad fill ,i c<iw.ird> jjr.i\e ? Wh.i sne base as b« a sUm. Let "mi turn an' fled. Sd H.uig- Scotia's haul, and in connection with the words I ask ymir permission to imite tho earnest attention of the burgesses of Hamilton to a resolution passed ac a meeting of the Borough Council, as reported in >(>ui hsik- of ;)th ni'-f., whuioby it was agreed (Mcssts Sandfs and Scott dissenting) th.it a sum equal to £(s<> ppr annum .should be paid out of Borough funds to the Auckland Hospital. Hih Wonlup the M.iym (Mr (Ji.ihanO in introducing the subject, stated that "he thought tho countiy wos ngieed that the hospitals xhould be suppoited, and that the contribution a-sked foi was solely for liospit.il management."' It would appear from Mr Graham's ternaries that somebody at sometime has been of .v different opini')n, and that it would be tmpropor to support tho Auckland Hospital, but that he, (the Mayor) h.iung "learned in Auckland," etc, had been icfoimed and as a consequence advised tho council to pay. As I consider Mr Graham's action in this matter thoroughly inconsistent, if not, politically speaking, degrading, I trust Jron will allow me space to show why I lave been reluctantly forced to that conclusion. At a meeting of the Waikato County Council on 18th December last, at which the Mayor of Hamilton was present by invitation, to discuss the Hospital and Charitable Institutions Act, 1885, there was no person present who niade the slightest objection to the districts being called upon to contribute to the Auckland District Hospital. What they did object to, and what Mr Graham (on "ratting" from his party) has apparently swallowed, may be readily gathered from the following extracts from the minutes of the meeting, to which His Woiship cordially agreed :—: — " That the Act has been framed without due consideration of the interests of country districts is readily apparent, from the fact that, while representation at the Board, wit'< the consequent power of control, haa been fixed on a basis of population, contributions in support of the institutions are to be levied and obtained on the valuation of property." " Again. "It is considered an injustice to country districts that contributions to district Hospitals ha\e been ti\ed on a valuation of property basis, by which they are culled upon to pay sums far beyond the value of any benefit they can possibly receive. If any sach general anangement be necessary, a population basis would be more likely to giro satisfaction, but there can bo no reason why the cost of maintaining a patient may not be ascertained, And country districts be simply charged with the cost of treating patients who have been admitted »n the order of any person authorised by the local body, leaving the board to recover if they can from the patient or his relatives, as provided by the " Destitute Persons Act, 1877." In shoit it was unanimously agreed that the demands made were unreasonable, and unjust to country distiicts, upon which Mr Graham submitted in wiiting the resolution following :—: — " That this council agrees to act in concert with the counties of Waipa and Kaglan together with the Borough of Hamilton in »ny legal action which may be taken in regard to the working, or otherwise declining to accept the responsibility of working the Hospit.il and Charitable Institutions Act, ISSo, any expense to be incurred to be met on a basis uf valuation." Mr Graham with sound argument, and some degiee of enthusiasm, induced the meeting to agree to the above. The noble soldier having harangued his forces in eloquent and heart stirring words leads them on to death or glory. They near the field of battle, and having set their watches for the night they gather their civic cloaks around them and calmly repoae, haung the utmost confidence in their leader, and more particularly in the death dealing effects of a six thousand pounder sky-rocket invented and patented by him. They feel certain of victory. In the meantime the general, having slipped out at the back door of his tent, pays a nocturnal \isit to the enemy, returns ere day dawns, and, accompanied by a majority of his gallant staff, "strikes for home." Messrs Sandes and Scott deserve the j thanks of tho burgesse3 for their political honesty and manly consistency, and I trust they will yet make an effort to reverse the action of the council on the Bth inst.— l am, obediently, Anti-Weathercock. On his six thousand pounder oblivious of shame, "When nearing the ioe levanted Te Graham.