NEW HOSPITAL BOARD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2756, 10 March 1910, Page 4

NEW HOSPITAL BOARD.

THE COMING ELECTION.

THE MAYOR- INTERVIEWED

Much interest continues to be manifested in the coming election for the new Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, and the conetst gives promise of being a keen and exciting one. The Mayor gave to a “Times” representative last evening his views on the subject. “It is quite evident,” he said, “that- from the 'number of candidates offering keen interest is being taken in the contest, and evidently the Government is fully justified in bringing about this desirable change of making the 'Hospital and Charitable Aid Board a Board elected direct bv the people and not through their elective bodies. I have always feit that the pulse of the people was not '.n touch with the Boards as at present constituted. and I feel sure that, now they have the opportunity, the burgesses will exercise their powers wisely and elect a Board that will give general satisfaction.” Continuing Air Lysmr said that lie thought the Borough representation on the Board was much too small, because tho administration was principally a Borough administration., and it was unreasonable to expect that County representatives, living so far- away, would be able to give attention which will he essential to the successful working of the new Board. “They come down to their monthly meetings,” continued Air Lysnar. “out that is not all: a continuous daily attention has to he given to ensure proper control. This has been always found to be the position in the past with- the 'Charitable Aid Board.”

Referring again to the question of Borough representation Air Lysnar said that on account of only four being allowed it was absolutely essential that strong representatives should l;c returned, men whose interest is the interest of the whole district and not the interest of the body or organisation putting them forward. Personally speaking, ‘he deprecated very much the stand being taken by some of the friendly societies and the AVo men’s Guild m putting forward special representatives for the benefit of their institutions. The hospital and charitable aid, he considered, were there for all who required them, and not for the benefit of any particular section of the community. It such a thing should come to pass that any section should have direct -representation on the Board in order that its 'members should obtain advantages which could not- be enjoyed by the general public, then he said, it would reflect against the public support of the institution. “It- is ver\- necessary,” Air Lysnar went on to say. “that important institutions like these .should he kept clear of any particular influence. There is an impression abroad—whether wellfounded cr not, I cannot say —that- an [influential person who makes use of the hospital receives better treatment and attention than one in less fortunate circumstances. This is a condition of affairs that- should not be allowed to exist, and if it does exist- it should he at once stamped out. For these reasons I am sorry that the Friendly Societies’ Conference has nominated three candidates ■out of a possible four, and that me AYcmen's Guild has nominated two to specially represent their organisation. Assume, for the sake of argument, that Airs vScott and Airs Beere are returned. That will mean that the Borough would bo represented by them and two male representatives, as against 7 male representatives from the country, lfow much stronger will the position of the Borough be if four keen, practical business men are returned, men with a knowledge of the particular work required? I say it would be far more beneficial. not alone for the town, 'buffer the County. Then again, it is only reasonable to assume that, if you h ivo representatives, say, Messrs Harris', Maynard. Smith and myseTf. who are thoroughly accustomed to the work, they will be of much more .service than such a combination as. say. Airs Scott, Airs Beere, Rev. AY. Lamb and Air Rettie, people who have absolutely no experience in the matter, and who yet would have to hold up the position o; the town for the benefit of the district ns a whole.”

Touching on the question of the administration of Charitable Aid Mr Ly - liar hold that it essentially should he in the hands of practical business mn>. and not sympathetically-minded people. It was at times hard to say "no to applicants, but very often it was absolutely necessary, in order to save the funds of the Board from improper use. He claimed that the official figures (published in another column), showed that the Council has. up to the present, administered the Charitable Aid Board on a most economical and, at the same time, a fair basis, and nobody cldd point- to a single deserving casethat had not received relief, l.vr year was a period of depression, and claims were exceptionally heavy, yet by prudent management the expenditure was no more than that of three* years r.go. Asked as to, in his opinion, the necessity, or otherwise, for a new hospital, Mr Lysnur said that that was another very serious phase of the question, and One to which he trusted the burgesses would give serious consideration before recoiding their votes. He held that there was no necessity to require the district to go to the enormous cost of acquiring a new site and hospital buildings. After the large expenditure, a great deal of which had been in the hist (5 or $ years, on the present site, to abandon it now and get another would, he ventured to think, mean a sum of quite £'20.000 v> £30,000, if allowance were made for the present- building on the present day cost of construction. He knew of no reason, which had been stated publicly, showing any necessity for a new hospital,* and' there appeared to lm.lie no justification in asking the district to incur such an unnecessary heavy cost. On the other hand it certainly might he that additional accommodation should be provided on the present site, and certainly' a children’s ward should l>e provided, as under existing conditions no child under 5 years of age can be admitted to the institution" There were acres of unoccupied ground at the .present hospital and nothing in tlhe way of extension of it were found necessary. The only reason given so far for the need of a now hospital was that it should bo on an elevation, hut he pointed out that other and largop 'hospitals in other places were on the flat, instancing Dunedin- and Christchurch. In the latter ease Mr L ysnar explained that the Hospital was right in the centre of the town «n the hanks of the river Avon, into which flowed a quantity of surface. and other drainage. If it could he shown to -liim that a new hospital was necessary in order to safeguard the health, of those using it, he would favor the suggestion, but not until then. In conclusion Mr Lvsnar said that he was pleased to see Mr Duncan Hepburn standing for election, as lie was a ■man with much experience in both

branches, and had pract cal of the working of tho hospital. Also Mr Henry AYlhite, whose years ex pcrience on the Christchyrcl. Hmpita board would he ct great aid. All m all the- ratepayers had a good i an,e o, candidates to select from and he had no doubt they would follow the mat ter closely and return a strong repre-sentative-'Board pledged to represent the burgesses in both Countj and Borough and to treat them ax one, and not return representatives who aie Ikin<r put forward by their societies primarily for the benefit of those societies.