HOSPITAL BOARD ELECTION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2756, 10 March 1910, Page 5

HOSPITAL BOARD ELECTION.

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES’ NOMINEES

A meeting of members of Friendly Societies and sympathisers was held in Townley’s Hall last evening, to meet the Friendly Societies’ nominees to seats on the Hospital Board (Mr C. F. Lewis, president of Conference, Rev. W. Lamb, and Mr Robert Johnston).

Mr R. H. Clark presided, and stated that the meeting had been called to give the candidates an opportunity of placing their views before the individual members of the various lodges. He then called on Mr C. F. Lewis to address the .meeting.

Mr C. F. Lewis said the contest v, as creating a great deal of interest, lor the first time in the history of the Dominion a plebiscite had been given to the public ,to have a- say in electing such an important board. He detailed the representations that had been made to the Government co secure to the people a voice in the election of Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards. He maintained that it was largely due to the persistent efforts of friendly societies that such a democratic right had been granted. The conference had decided that they should have representatives on the Board, and those selected were the candidates before them that night. .'Some people imagined that they were seeking election to forward the interests of friendly societies to the detriment of the general ratepayers. He thought they could all trust the candidates selected to do their work on the Board without favoring anyone. He referred to the public utterances of the Mayor in a press interview, and stated that he considered a bigger insult was never uttered. In the ranks of the friendly societies were men who had just as much experience as His Worship or any other member of the Borough Council. To insinuate that their nominees were seeking election in order to dole out grants to their members was an unpardonable affront, which he felt sure would not be forgotten on the day of the election. The very training of members of friendly societies fitted them for the work they would have to do on such a body as the Hospital and Charitable Aid Beard. The Rev. W. Lamb justified the action of the friendly societies in nominating candidates for seats on the Board by saying that, as intelligent electors, they had every right to take an active interest in everything that made for the alleviation of suffering humanity. He claimed to be a worker, as it was only by studying at night in his spare time, while working at a trade, that he had acquired qualification for the profession he now occupied. He considered they should be permitted to take an intelligent interest in public matters without being subjected to ridicule and shafts of irony from His Worship the Mayor. A qualification possessed by members of friendly societies was that they had had experience in handling large sums of trust moneys, while they were also closely in touch with the sick and suffering who needed relief and assistance. The Mayor should remember that no man could come into contact with suffering humanity without having the very best that was in him drawn out. There was no desire to interfere with the present management qf the Hospital, which was excellent in every way. Mr Robert Johnston said that members of friendly societies were more closely in touch with the Hospital than anyone else, as they not only had visiting brethren from each lodge, but a committee from the Conference visited the institution as well. He referred to the necessity for a doctor who wished to send a patient to the. Hospital to have the order countersigned by a trustee. >He considered this a useless formality, which often caused delay, and if elected he would endeavor to : have this necessity done away with.

A vote of confidence in the candidates was unanimously carried at the conclusion of their addresses. The meeting then resolved itself into a committee’ to further the candidates’ interests and arrange for bringing voters to the poll. NOMINATIONS EI,SEWHERE. [Per Press Association.] NELSON, March 9. Nineteen nominations have been received for the eleven seats on the Nelson Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. The candidates include two ladies. Among the nominations for the new Hospital Board are two women, Mrs. C. Y. Fell and Mrs. Robert Watson. CHRISTCHURCH. March 9. For seven city seats on the local Hos_ pital Board there are sixteen nominations, including three ladies, a Congregutionalist minister, and a Jewish minister. DUNEDIN, March 9. Special elections are necessitated for all districts under the new Hospital and Charitable Aid Act. For West Harbor there are ten candidates, including the Mayor of the city. For six seats on© lady was nominated, hut was declared ineligible, as her name did not appear on the roll of combined districts. Considerable interest is being taken in the election of the new Hospital Board in Dunedin. Three well-known ladies. Mrs. Dr. Limlo Ferguson, Mrs. Blair (President of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union), and Mrs. Gibsou are amongst those nominated. Mrs. Ferguson’s nomination for the Hospital Board had to be withdrawn as her name does not appear on the electors’ roll.