RISE IN HOSPITAL BOARD’S ESTIMATES

Press, Volume C, Issue 29498, 27 April 1961, Page 10

RISE IN HOSPITAL BOARD’S ESTIMATES

The North Canterbury Hospital Board’s estimates for 1961-62 are £496,833 above the actual expenditure for 1960-61, and £268.484 above last year’s estimates, the annual report of the board reveals.

The discrepancy between last year’s estimated and actual figures was almost entirely in the loan expenditure.

The estimated maintenance payments for this financial year total £2.506.707, against £2,364,438 actual and £2.370.724 estimated last year. The estimated capital expenses are £307,603 this year, compared with £284.461 actual and £315.565 estimated last year. The loan figures are £484.600 for 1961-62, against £173.128 actual and £344,137 estimated last year.

•The report said that during the 1961-82 year, of the £484,600 estimated to be spent on loan works. £231.000 was expected to be raised by loan and the rest to come from loan money on hand, reducing the balance of loan money bv the end of the year to £92.409 The loans tjeing floated this year comprised the £150.000 fifth issue and the £Bl.OOO sixth and final issue of loan 14 The fifth issue was already on the market, but plans had not been completed for the sixth issue The increase in the amount (including loan money) snent on capital works was likelv to be continued all through the 1960’5, with the huge building programme on hard, said the ehairman of the finance committee (Professor A. J Danks) at the board's meeting yesterday Ute maintenance bill was "awe-inspiring” at about £2(4m, and this too had risen substantially partly through a fall in the value of money but also because of a continuing improvement in the services and facilities provided Debt “Modest”

The board's outstanding debt was extremely modest—no more than the equal of a year’s maintenance expenses. he added. A rise in indebtedness must be expected as the capital works programme got under way. “We are coming up to a long haul" said Professor Danks. “We look forward with confidence, to receiving the same support from the oublic of Christchurch and North Canterbury that we ha”e had in the past ” The treasurer (Mr J J Morgan! considered that an investigation was necessary into the amount charged by the board for services to accident victims, and he approved the charges to be made to patients in the general hospitals who were not at present receiving medical treatment.

Mr Morgan proposed that medium-sized capital works might be financed from direct grants to relieve the pressure on loan finance.

The secretary (Mr J. G. Laurensnn) referred to the

increase in the number of works in progress or planned, which had risen from 23 last year to 39 now. These constituted a heavy burden on the board's staff, he said. More attention would have to be given to planning these works. Planning could not be left to move forward under its own momentum, and he proposed that a special officer be appointed to take charge of this aspect of the board's activities.