HOSPITAL FEES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 713, 12 January 1910, Page 6

HOSPITAL FEES.

MEASURES TO CHECK: DEFAULTS. ' .^Patients. who reap the, benefits:,of treatment'at the hospital,- and 'then, cheerfully iorget ' their, .monetary obligation to ..tho' institution will liavo a harder row ,to- hoe, for; tho • future., v The. .secretary of the Hospital .Trustees- authorised (to; institute; legal i proceedings for <;overy. of outstending;..;fees; for;., maintenance.' -''h''/-; ■: '% , .Speakingin. tho ; above . connectionat. yesterday's meeting :, of tho*trustces,'-,the Hon.' C.; M.: Luke,; chairman,said v':re- ■ marfai had-been, made.; in tho press ';whic)i., implied laxity, in.the direction of' getting, in maintenance moneys .diio from outpatients.: SpeaKng-for: the last year or, two,-.he, could, say that '.the Finance Com-' mitteb;had done its ■ utmost.,to;.hustle, in overdue: accounts.,.. A ;laige \ number V; .of" those : who, camo .into .tho hospital wero pay, > others , .paid .. a small' amount,: imilo . another; proportion '. could afford to pay and' : did 'pay, ;. lii. E0 6ense could . the Einance: Committee of the institution lay. to .-heart - tho strictures passed 1 on-the-administration of tho . hospital. , Every- endeavour had been .made to mako those. who could afford to paydo . 'so. It was nonsense: for anyoneignorant,', of' 'the "liospital. administration to contend. that a ; hospital , should be . able .to 'get- in'everything; .'jHospitals existed for tho poor,; antl tho poor paid all: they could,, but tlie..; Secretary; had .now' .been instructed'.;-thatinynll-.' cases;:'where' he had reason: tp, Believo. that persons were shirking .'.their : responsibilities;. lie "was to', sue for'' thc. amount. : .

.- A return was presented :'asunder," show-! ing, the; maintenance.-fees,; received for. the

nine .months , ended / December - 31,' :'tho figures . for; the; previous year, also: being appended in. .'.parentheses:—April; ',£207. 10s. (!£260 12s;: Id.)';, May, v,£207. Bs. ' lOd. (■£2B6' Bs.- Id.);: * June, .£l6B 125." (JB2OS 65.); July, ■ ,£337.: 45.'1id..,(«£278 155.); August, .£235 Is.: lOd. (i!3OG Is.. Gd.); September, .£292 -10s. lid. (JE276 12s.)'; : October, lis., 9d. (J623t' 17s. id.) ; November, v£23o 7s. Bd. (.£193 2s. 8d.); December, .£332 Gs. lid." (;E2IG; 4s. 3d.); total,' 14s. ■ lid. (,£22GO 18s.- Bd.'); The total.for the ■ same period of, 1907,..was >61917; 12s. Id; The chairman considered th<3 position was. very satisfactory, the. maintenance fees to date' exceeding the figures , for: '1908 by' ■£il6 -in spite-'of -the ;depression- through; which the city, had; - passed last, winter.