HOSPITAL COMMISSION.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17118, 13 April 1921, Page 8

HOSPITAL COMMISSION.

.. (PMSB,\ ASSOCIATION TBIMKfBAM.) - WELLINGTON, April 12. The Hospital. Commission opened its sittings in Wellington to-day, Mr V. H. Jleed, M.P., presiding. The order of reference included the extent of Government contributions towards/the capital requirements of hospitaVbpards and ;fche basis of such, contributions; the best means of .meeting the heavy, cost of proposed.'."' capital works,land • the, extent of. Government ', contributions towards .ihV; net >mainteii[ance requirements o the boards,, and fchft basis of of such contributions; the extent of the Government subsidy on voluntary contributions; the extent *of the Government's tion towards separate institutions: the ■extent, to which the Government should make grants to various charitable societies and institutions; the fees to be charged for maintenance and treatment 'in -public'hospitals; the establishment of paying and private wards in public hospitals: the present method of allocating ''the.; representations of contributing local.authorities; Government representation on such boards by nomination; whether/ the, present constitution and area of the present hospital, districts'.and the grouping of local authorities is the fairest method of distributing,'the cost of base hospitals throughout the Dominion amongst the various local authorities; to- what extent =might' be effected-by'Jthe adoption or business methods, mcrre.'. especially • in.. the purchasing v of Ihedical and' surgical ' supplies;' and, generally, as to any matter connected with hospital and charitable aid which may be deferred to the - New Zealand Minister of Health. ■; ; The Hon. C. J. Parr, Minister of Public Health, in addressing the conference, said ttie main reason for the setting up of the Commission was the schedule of subsidies, which had been found to operate, inequitably. The New Zealand hospital system had worked satisfactorily. He did not favour nationalisation, which would destroy valuable local interest. The pointed'out' that; in the. Act-of 1009,, there was no'specific requirement that the Government should pay,one-half'of the maintenance charges of hospitals. The schedule which the Government proposed the Commission should : re-, commend to be superseded by another was based on a subsidy of £ fol ',*; toward the'upkeep of hospitals. The Minister said'he was, generally speakin", in favour of the scheme of subsidies in the Hospitals Bill of last year. The officers of the Department would be free to give their evidence in the manner they deemed right. The programme of the hospital boards of New Zealand. at the' present' time involved the contemplated expenditure of over £1,000,000. The Minister _ admitted that many hospitals required very large capital expenditure. One did not wish to penalise poor people, but those who could -afford to pay should pay a sum sufficient to cover the actual .cost of treatment.