N.Z. HOSPITALS.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17120, 15 April 1921, Page 10

N.Z. HOSPITALS.

EVIDENCE BEFORE COMMISSION. (PBE.«i= ASSOCIATION TFJ.EOr.AS2.) WELLINGTON, April U. Tho Commission of Enquiry rognrding subsidies and administration resumed to-dny. fnsirp SliirMiffo pointed out that only £„' ji.T com. oi the total ho»pit*l tec., wotv actunlly collected. E. Killick, secretary to the Hospital* Department, snid ho thought that tho system o! collect ins *e«s ,v;us pursued on 100 riyid lines. Tho printed form should he followed by a personal letter or application for |>i\ymcm. In tho case nf the Otaki iio.-pital, which was under tho control <>f die lVpartiuont, no less thnn til> per cent, nt tho fee* charged were collected. lie v.;is -\f opinion that encli patient should bo interviewed on discharge with respect to the mymciit of his account. Mimtoch Kf»<er. chairman of the Taiannki Hospital Hoard. Mi'miittod the decisions iirrivod at by his Board. Shortly, the Board expressed tho opin- { ion that nothing less than the amount of tho present subsidy should Ih> jjiven. ' By this means lum-rniopnyors would contribute n portion of the cost. A scheme might be evolved whereby tho Government could advance tho funds required for capital expenditure. His Board favoured as more equitable than tho present basis of subsidy, that approved by tho conference in Juno last. Not loss" than 21s in the i' .-u'vidy .should.be given. It, was inadvisahlo to altor t no present system, by which each individual Board was free to fix patients' fees on tho basis of the cost of maintenance. The establishment of paying private wards in connexion with public hospitals was entirely against tho fundamental principles of ,*uch institutions. Tlie Government was justly entitled to representation on hr«spital boards. The Tarnnnki Board did not favour small hospital districts. A considerable saving could bo made if *t.an« dardised lines of hospital requisites could bo bought in large quantities direct from the manufacturers and distributed to each hospital. Thomas Neale, chairman of tho Nelson Hospital Board, urped that tho Government should contribute £ for £ towards capital requirements, both as applied to capital and interest, and that maintenance .diould bo contributed equally. He held that a uniform rata of patients' fees should be charced. Be considered that where boroughs were j prouped with County Councils, tho I Boards should be elected under one suffrage. It would bo in the interest* of both parties that the Government should have a representative on* tho Board. The Board would be pleased if the Commission would consider tho advisability of legislation erring potfer to any contributing body to rat-o separately for anv hosptal benefit that aid not'benefit "the contributing hodtcj generally. The Minister of Health had stated that the whole system was based on equal partnership between tho Go* vornment and tho local bodies in regard to hospitals. In that caw the Go« vernment and tho ratepayer* should contribute equally to the expenditure, whereas Inst year tho Government was some £60,000 to tho good, paying that much leas than it had contributed equally with the ratepayers. , T. 1. Martin, secretary of the Municipal Association of New submitted remits pnsoed by the municipal conference held in Septemlicr, 1919, in favour of direct representation of tht Government, and contributing local bodies on hospital boards, and urrinjj that tho present system of subsidiw was arbitrary and inequitable, and should bo placed on a just uniform basis. . ,' . Sir James Wilson, chairman of tho Pnlmerston North Hospital Board, urged that tho Government subsidy <m . capital expenditure should bo £ for £. There worn bound to bo demnnds for heavy expenditure by hospital board* in the future. If tho Public Tratf, Office could not find the money, Ij? suggested the Government should ißStta a looal stock loan for tho purpose M raising the necessary money. He would prefer a 3<H years' loan, repayable bjr sinking fund, to a ten-year loon repayable a tenth each year. If tho Government paid £ for •£ on interest as trwl as capital, a short term loan might bo better than a 36J years' loan. He held that this new schedule would proTo just as unfair as the schedule of 1809, now abandoned, had proved. The Commission will sit in ChritU church on or about April 21st. Anyone desirous of giving evidence should notifv the local Health Officer imm<* diately.