HOSPITAL RATE.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20172, 26 February 1931, Page 6

HOSPITAL RATE.

LOCAL BODIES WANT REDUCTION. DIFFICULTY EMPHASISED. "In times of stress, it is more difficult for hospital boards to cut down expenses than any other local bodies," declared the chairman of the North Canterbury Hospital Board (Mr H. J. Otley) at its meeting yesterday, emphasising that every effort would bo made to reduce -the rate this year. The Chatham Islands County Council wrote stating its support of the following resolution passed by the Oxford County Council;— That the North Canterbury Hospital Board be requested to reduce its estimates for the covering year to the lowest possible figures. "To meet the prevailing distress _ a large amount has boon paid out.during the last year,'? added Mr Otley, "and the prospects for the coming year don't look much better. Not only have we to find the extra money for the relief of distress caused through unemployment, but there are a large number of people coming to the Public Hospital and unable to pay who usually would, enter a private hospital. reeling Hard Times.

"'The worse the times are, the Public Hospital is the worst place to feel them. We'll do all we possibly can. to reduce our rate, of course, but I must emphathat the Hospital is the hardest place in which to reduce expenditure." During a discussion of the reports, Mr p. Horrell urged that as an economy measure charges should be niade for treatment in the venereal diseases department. Moving the adoption of the Benevolent Committee's report, Mr Horrell said it was hoped that the doAands for uu. employment relief would now ease off for a time. The number of applications for benevolent assistance dealt with since the last meeting was 2101, representing 7562 persons. The great majority of this number, 1391 cases, were unemployed. Seq,ucwtß Jot Economy, The Finance Committee reported the receipt of a letter from the Akaroa County Counoil, urging the utmost economy whentho Board was preparing its estimates for the coming financial year. It was decided to reply in the same strain as to other local bodies; that on all occasions the Board had exercised every care in the preparation of the estimates, and would again do so, although with the acute depression at present existing, the coming year wfis likely to be a very hard one. The question of medical subsidies to practitioners in oertain districts thad been under consideration for some time, and thq following amounts lmd been paid for a number of years:—Amur* £250, Cheviot £3OO, WaUtari £2OO, "W air ewe. £3OO. It was decided that, as from April Ist next, these amounts, should be re- . dueed by £JOO eaefc. c Economy in Tenders, f A saving of about ftPQQO compared r trtth la»t-ywr will >« m»4e on tinders foi» 1981, .whUto the Jooard accepted on ' recommendation of >jts ; The cheaper prices, iof meat s *i4>lroft«,..i«a 4Mw *«• sponsible lor flw saving. ffoUwng is a list of ' Christohureh Hospital and koeal Insti-tutions:-—Aerated waters, Quilli Morris and Co.; wine* and spirits, Quill, Morris and Co.: Btaeoy and U&wjteri butter, Kiwi Dairy Co.,* meat, Dixon Bros.; floor polish, J. Harrison and Co,; chimney sweeping; W, Urridgej inters ments, J, Bhindj printing, and stationery, Messrs Whitcome and Ltd,} cartage, Mr A, Goddard} t**i anfl ambulance service. Bink Taxis, Ltd.Infectious Diseases' Messrs Staoey and Hawker, jCaikoufca Mr A, W. :BaU}' taillt, MrsF, M. Alexanderj'moati, ■ A.-'Q. Bull,' < ' Lyttelton Casualty Ward t-'-D rugs, ete.,^.B#y»ol4«. , Tuarangii—Breed, <Ji Jordan; meat, ■ T, P. Barber; fuel, W, H. Collins and Co., interments, Messrs s Baiter Bros, and Shaw, '• V * 'Y c i* Llhl * - ' y - ! 1...... ' [