HOSPITAL AFFAIRS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 744, 17 February 1910, Page 6

HOSPITAL AFFAIRS.

steadily increasing expenditure;

THE OTAKI SANATORIUM.

' IS IT WOBTH THE"COST?

'.-;The-.increase -;that- ; ba,s..taken':place 'in .hospital' espenditure,-and,": the-'value' , of the.'.'ptaki.'.Sanatorium', in.proportion-16 ;its;\cost,-^w;ere' : Questions , ' that •: were<:d.ii:cnss6dSat".'the ltieetings"-of ■ thej> HospitaJ •Board yesterday;, : : . There -were: -present, at-the meeting :lles9rs.-■■'J.-'P.Mnke; M.P.; (oh*innafi)/'J.;..'Sii'th,\C;-Ji : .Cra'wf6rav.B.'-: ;R.''Garderier','jV.-Galioway;;G; Frost;;'and: •J; : .l)eyine;" "•?.' \Vi;v!'•/":■ ■-.'.■.'■■'■ ;

- ■ Tjie:sta,tement ; of. receipts and. espendi-' ture.-;Vfor..;the period ending- Jaiiuary '31/ showed ;-recei^ts>^l9,7ls'is ild./.'incluaing ,ampunts,,;Vre(»iyed-.'.froni;. 'contributory: -bo'diesi 'iei0,727; 35;,-'' Go'yernment subsidy on lenes'-^MO ' 16s;, patients' fees; (Otaki iHpspit'al)^.i£B;-7s.^-'-sa, /patients'-fdes (Otaki iSana.tonniD)'.-iZ3B ;18s.- : 'compensation •fpr v ;dedication'.of i'land' for 'road' purposes , at Otaki J '£Wojf transferred ■ frdm'.BrowniM'Wiiliami.mfe.mdrialSbeguest,' (No; i -lie--■*ijnl)';Jfor.^new''.'sh'd.|ier^ !^'o.--'.:; ..The'.iei|; pendi'tureVivas '£lJ,7S2 te.V.lid., the'.priricipal':;item~s "being..'.as': follow-V-Baknce {April 8s;-.6d.';':Wellington' Hospital,rjEl2,47o;,Otaki Hospital, (main-; .fen,anpe i jjeio62 . Us..:Gd., addition's and .repairs;,dEl« i 9d.; ~QStnkiy,Sanatprium, {maintenance Is.'., sa. and'-repairs. £ill ;4s.' ',9d;); 'iE2220..-'6s.;\2d.;.;engJrieer;s residence, iE22O i7s.'.j". new-:shelter, 4368... 115..'. 9d:'; administration ' expenses,- /65., IOd. ; transferred ; tor!;Brown-M;Williani-'-;nieiiK)rial. /bequest • (No;, 1. account), "being part cost':of •,new. 'sh«lter;'>i£3oo.'> : y:!"V: '"""W''/;;'"v.'. ; ,■;:■;' ,The; balance, on 'the- general 1 account- at January ; '-31,M?10,"was'.-aeiSlo3,Vand balance on'"tihe-imprest.;account.-JEM/- '■.■•/•-• V'-':.' , - ■•.•'• ■ f The. board's -.asset's - .were '■• as -:' : fPllow.:— Balance January 31,;'■ 1910,: i 1953• -'.levies' !due-.<ftomv.local .'bodies;-' l sßll62:l7s.'; : ;pati--en'ts'.-fees,, : ,Otaki''Hospitai;'',iGlso;.patients', fees, -'.Otaki . ,£lO6 ■■13s;;-.dona-.tions, ,yJ2o;".Government '■ 'subsidy -due -on' levies -'•■:'. and •' donations, :£SiSB ■ Is.' j>. total, 14s.V TJfB-'rliabiljties ,-were as.-fol-' low:—Wellington-Hospital,- F.OtakiHospital. (maintenance- , .;i£220,.! additions and .repairs :>C3O)/-';a2oP';" ..ptaki/v'Sana--torium;:(raaihfen'anceyje37(),'"- additions' and ;rep"aii-s. .£100), c " i£i7Q;'. aaministfrifive : expenses,' MO ;'■ total-.liabilitie^- Ex-. oe;ss-of assets "over'liabilities,: i£36pi -Us.'. - - .-The 'chajrinau.v'sai.dV. there, haa bee'nV debit::balinoeVon'.-.the.: year'o; working of ..This- amount. ;■ included: lost through the"taking' over'7b^Hbe:Govern-. - ment!of. the'Mariawatu'liie.V Prewously ihe.Adjacent : bpdies-.-'pai3'■'levies ing; sub-, -sidy Vof,.'a'.'similar''-amount.' rln- the■■ circumstances, the'board ; did-'.iiot think: that the. local .bodies^coiild;-bo- charged:: with. .that .amoun(:. no-y/.v.-During.tht: year the' .board.:had:biiilt 4hd'furnrshed a -nurses' . home.-... at Otaki -■: which, was -. a - very.- fine building; -.andVtheyold. nurses'-home iad ; beei.-re:mbdelled;.;'.Tho i.board'estimated that ■:it-;.would;:'rep,uire ■ 'J&jSii to ..tie ■ eria-'of-,the/year; ana ' : the' assets'owere estijmate'di.ati'iraees.;;^,-.::.';'-:'.;-,•..:,'.. s , '-' :^A, .j.■■■

;/Tlie;:Otakßlnstitutions, ' : :'fi[ ..'-H; , - ' ThV-monthiy !re^rt; r pfl,'{ti'e;]Otaki; H6&-' , pital; stowed :that:nine paUjals ; ;had :beon : ,admitt=d,yarid, eighti.disqhwged. i. jAt ,tJie ■endrbf'thq.mbiitli.lthere.were seven males :and.'five females!under..treatment.:; At:the' : sanatorium J^p:-i)aiients:olia'd ' been ;.ad ; : pitted v and -v two' , '(lisc.harged, : ':; and : ' there were fifteen .males';and.ninefeni ales under, treatment.";. -V; .:.i:''-W, - '-;.V-\ v ' : w;.:;■-■•/•'- ,: ; THe.i'chairman "stated tlial affairs '■ at'the : . v«f y-- satisfactorily.';-,-pie .'sanatorium •. was. thoroughly : iip to, date. -The worktfqne had: .heenXyery' encouraging,. -and, seTeral.people.- had; "through-'.its -aid,'.been .'enabled .to'! discharge ■ their. 'duties as citizens.'..• He. honed,;;; by., next'i'me'etingto,he .able to bring.up , a ..report showing ..the dumber: 'that:--had been .discharged..as.Vcu'red, and hpw.V those, .discliarged.;. werb. .progressing. ■ ::a«:.'i ; iHeayy :< iH.psp.ita). : Expenses. , .; ,'.■ ■■v.' .' ', Mr;gardener, took exception.tp;'a"':statjß-' ment in the; accounts .showing; the. amount. expended for:-the, y<|af ;'on maintenance of , '.the; Wellington .Hospital" a5:'V812,470. Th'is':Was statement, .he' de-' -'clared.Un'/.view; of.;tbe "fact that, the 'ex-.-penditure i'on'. ;the','hospital:» had been .nearly; Mr: Gardener';referredUo i the;', amounts 7received -for. -the.;': hospital* from'; donations, ;Vspecial;..; canvasses/ and otheroiicrarces. ■.' If---the' expenditure; was only, .the, amount stated, ■the. L b.qard must have : a,;:balancq.in>.hand of .many;: thousand "to] carry, "forward. 1 ;;A; '?The 'that -"the .bbard; : 'had. : nothing':' to; ■ do ' wi,th-. the; : ad'ministration:; of. :)the.:'hospital. , ', -..The ..hospital;, trustees'jmade.-a', .yearly, upon: the. boardjfor• so much; money'with-which ■ to,; carry' bn;;.their. .work.iand , :the ■ most the..boardj'c.ould.do"was. to say.'it was ;tbb ; much.T and-to 'that. the-"trustees • shbuld:cut;3own .their: requirements.'- The funds -'/obtainable.:; f rbm- 'donations; -V rents and ■other..sources doubt Untici-: pated'.bV.- the'trustees-:,whenv-they vmade .un'Uheir ":.'%-'•■';/?}■ -'.-^i-':' '.. V^jilr;;,Gardener. j..3tiir thought' that -the statement'.in'.'the .'accounts, was":'mislead-; ing^;and\shbuld : npt.';be''-jlldwed" , to go put;';}/ 1 : : 'r. p ■'■':/•.j*V^v-,-/j: •';:■'?.,'. -'\~ '■': y.-' : V :: :'- •" 1 ,'i'ie ;chairman,- replied -.that the-annual balance-sheet.-; that. :wfluldCvbe'. ■.brought ..dbwn\-by,,,the: Hospital;. : ; Trustees'; would show, the - whole, position - of ■ the v hospital .finances:. , : l lf..the ■■trustees , .'had , .not--, these rents ■'aiid-. donations i. coming' , -;in,•■';-they would'•; make;.;a; 'greater."claim,Vupon,.the .Hospital .-Board,;-; and Jupqn the' , local "authorities.; ~";• -;;v'i-.vV'': ; ;>i!.'■' ■'''■■■■ r

:--Mr.-'.:-;De'yine,); treasurer . ,'of said , thatlthe' whole arose out of the ianomaly- that • uhder-the.-preseilt. law 'oße;lbodyVcollected::,funds.,ana'the : other sp^nt. : ,tlie.mv.;; That'vwbu'ld -Joe- altered ; by the new Act, which , -comes.ijrito ,, force-on ■jip'ru-i.'i.:-; j^ii:w- ■ :; - : '<:' ; ::-':' ':'"-■

"■AV : ;hth'e Sanatorium:.. Does' It Cure? . : •^•.llr.;.iGard'eiteir.:;sud' < .th'aii. < - l lii?,j'.'and.',-h'6 "thought';the 'distriot iwhich , lie. represented,''were'.very '(lfsappoihted with'the .Otaki ?. Sanatorium.'S The ■■institiitioh: had esperiment.iit,.Jia'(Ucost close,'on ■ifil6 J .ooo,':;and::.ha'-thought.;:tJie;..result ■of .itr'.work'Couglit'.'to; bevinmni. Me did pot"'think.,the -.public'/had;,:the "slightest jdea : :.of/;what"this .-institution '■ cost.;;< The 'expense v was about.. 'β^ypar; been 'open about;..threie.'yea-re;-;,iiiia there -\had not been-Vojie'. .satisfaetpry.• report -'-to ishy whether ; it-was L '.'successfnl' ; 'pT.noti;-.'lf-..it could; be fsKowh ; th'at.'.'the "institutionkwas • α-success- in; saving 'human.-J.i'fe;' or 'malciriK it-happier,-he thoughto.thafv-the-, public .would.-"not- grudge,' > Ho urged' that patients * who "left '■' the'- sanatorium /'should- b'e : . Kept ; in'- view'by the ;Hoalth"l)epartment,-'soVthat' it-.'might:'-be known-if'the'i'tr'eatmeri't'had" pfoyed successful or.-riot. :-:Theaboard -should insist on^getting'^reports.'.regardiDg,,individual ??Tfi. 4 ?-T ho; ■', ha ,4'.f, le W,- % sanatorium. ,H?..,thongh.t.-;that; the-; Ro.vernment had noted yery,...wrorigly,; in iallowing.-hospitals throughont ■,the: country;'to :erett these sanatoriai-whereypr-^they?.chose.' ,'He '--uh--derstood" that,'a-, : furid<-.Was. being- raised iiqit-.toibuild-a-nf miles -of Otaki.,. •'.The,, expenditure ■ for , -- hospitals TOi getting;;so'/large .that-iif .the .•boards did. not: car<s>,:a rap ■• for. ■ the' ratepayers' '.money,:, the Government should 'take -action 4n the , ; matter;;' The -hospitals' expenditure ''• had '• increased.- in", -twelve' -veare from ■■sra;oop' , to -close -pn" JJ2<M,6oo—an. in-creas.eof:neari.v..lso,-per;cent.-r W hile. population ■ had -^increased, by;-only'- 200,000. -Be' ■maintained', that; ; tho :ptaki;-.sanatorium and hospital were;not .giyirig 'value.com-ni?nsurate.ivith,-th?iri;exp>ns.e. Gonsidoring:that ; there;, were .., only-.- about; -ten patients \in ; the ■ hospital,: nnd; : 2o-■ in: tho sanatorium, they. ,were ; costly,.; places '. to :maintain,;and: tho,new- board, should- con-sider-.turning, one- of,.them'' into a oon'knul^ n ' hp ?"?:l° r ' f something,'of- the :-./,;;,-v; v to Protest. ;'. ;: '' V :'■■■;■ ■.;'. ■ .•/It. was.a : bout;time ; .that;;the' ratepayers made some kind of ,prptost' ogainst 'the e\- : pemh{ure,, Ho understood that,the'.boafd had had, nothing to do with the expenditure of the money voted- to the Hospital Triistecsi but he -thought ,that the.estiiiiates , had, been far too ..large. He thought also' th.atvthe board ..had. neglected its duties in regard to. put-patients.' He could■'never , understand! why,.;in '.;Wellingt.on i , there should: be, in twelve years. 24,000 visits frdnu'out-patients and in-Anckland onlv 6000 .visits./ He.thought;that'this' hospital was : developing wholly;'and solely into ,a .charitable-.institution.' -, v.Mr. : Smith'said..that-; without, doiibt there 'weref a great .raariy- anomalies■ in ■ the ;-workiie-'Of ...the-.institiitione; under

ffie "present sy£rtem, — but Sir."'. Gardener was not justified in 'placing"the onusrbn that: or any' other ..board." ,Mr.', Gardener should lake - his"' sweeping ■• statements to the ■ Hospital- Trustees; ■ .'Hospital,-' expenses .had' increased "rapidly,": and' they_ .'would continue, to inqrease. as' tho popu ; lation .of the Dominion , became larger. An-improved- system would, be inangurated. when: the'new ;Acf. came.into force.

■ ; "Tory Facts—And True." ' ; The .chairman said ihe -did:not believe one could find .people more desirous : than the Hospital .Trustees., tovdo: what .was right ?lfor.the., .community .v:.They had -a very difficult -work -to" perform.. . When .reference:, was-made; to! the-growing : \ex-: pense, ,:it ought'.tovbe .remembered that, the..frauchise; had , .been;.:widened■• to; a basjs .of. ;one, man one-vote;- more and more of responsibility-for; social work had been thrown .on' ;the ! !rates;:ana-'.; people : who would otherwise , ;be-, charitably indined, refused .to make donations or do anything, for .charitable aid . work bei. causo.they already paid for..'that.in.rates. "Therefore," said:. the '. chairman,'. "we don.t-'get'from' people the i same goodwill' as-.we- used : to:-get .and would'get. under' a« voluntary system.''- ■ ■ ".'.■••• ---n. :.- • ; :■ Mr;..- Crawford..(facetiously): Tory! Now,: if that, statement; had come-from me!. : V.Thfl: chairman,:,l'm.--telling, 'you facts, ,and : I;don't know ; if Tory ■faots-'or not: ■MrV-Luke"stated that while Mr.' Willis 'hail been : secretary ■ there had hardly been.a "tag" placed on: tho board's accounts. '.He .himself-.was not-going .to be.;a,-candidate for.the new board, but he, hoped jthat; , -Mr. ■ Gardener':would ■; be ■ a candidate,' and : would: 'bring >to. -bear - oh it ;the same enthusiasm '.as 'he had brought to- .the -existing board. , ';••"- ■...:. .. :•■ '':■- "'

■ 7 : "For Your Credit's Saker-Pay." - '■':': At' another stage ;! of the ' meeting. the chairman;: said it: was: very-, 'regrettable that' people who. had members of. their families in the , Otaki'Sanatorium- made promises to. pay,- -and'in many., cases did .not-pay -at all. ...The .board; he. thought,' should , take bases-lntpGouTt arid compel certain people- ,to '.pay .up: -They. did'not ;eyen .pay; the amount, that would.i be re-'. quisite : for their: maintenance.if they, remained in.their.own'h'dmesl ■-.-At the' same t!.me_;a' great/many; people had fully - recognised; their responsibilities. - He moved that; Messrs.; Gardener, •• Crawford,"': Devjne; and ■ himself,- should:be. a committee to 'go into ithis; matter.";. -. v.V .-■.,..-. .'

Th'e motion yas: agreed to,