A WAY OUT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1768, 5 June 1913, Page 3

A WAY OUT.

HEALTH & CHARITY LEVIES.

TO PREVENT EXPOSITION.

POINTS FOR THE CONFERENCE,

At the conference of the local authorities contributing to the Wellington Lospital and Charitable Aid Board's lunds, held on Thursday last, tho two mam points considered were whether the representation of local authorities on the board could bo improved, and what steps could lx) taken to prevent ths serious leakage due to the non-payment 01 hospital fees by persons who are in a position to pay. One speaker mentioned that out of due for fees in one year only JMOOO had teen collccted. Mr. E. P. Bunny, Mayor of Lower Hutt, who lias taken a keen interest in tho matters brought before the conference, intends to submit a proposal for securing bettor representation of local authorities 011 tho board.

Sir. F. T. Moore lias given notice of his intention to propose: — "That the Government be asked to so amend the Hospital and Charitable Act that: (a) 'All hospital institutions shall henceforth bo ran upon strictly business lines, by adopting a scale of charges adequate to meet the cost of the treatment received by each patient.' (b) 'Only persons making a statutory declaration of poverty may bo the recipients of fres treatment at hospitals or the recipients of charitable aid.' (c) 'Tho local bodies shall bo notified of every such declaration in order that fraud may be detected and offenders prosecuted for false pretences.' (d) 'Tho actual cost of treatment of all alcoholic and venereal cases shall bo paid in full by the Tccipients, which charge shall ho enforced under pain, of imprisonment.'" A Mow Proposal, Tho financial side of tho question is being dealt with b.v the Town Clerk of Mirumar (Mr. W, 11. Bennett), who has prepared a scheme which, if given effect to, ho claims will obviate any annual levy being made on the local authorities. Tho proposal has been given in full to Mr. Bunny for consideration by tlio conference at to-day's meeting. Mr. Bennett's scheme for stopping the leak in the board's funds, is ilealt with under the following heads:— (1) No person shall be admitted to tho Hospital or receive charitable aid or treatment as an outdoor patient except on the written recommendation of tho local authority, or on a medical certificate in cases of urgency. (2) The local authority shall bo responsible for the payment of the fees duo to the Hospital Board, and monthly accounts shall be rendered by the board therefor. (3) Where a mcdical certificate has l>een issued for an urgent case, tho medical officer shall forthwith notify tho local authority. Tho local authority will then approve tho action and bo responsible for the fees duo to the board. (4) In cases of charitable relief the local authority sliall make a recommendation to the board as to the amount of relief and shall bo responsible therefor. : The' effect of tho above, it is claimed, would be that each local authority would bear its true share of the cost of maintaining the Hospital. Tho present annual levy would be entirely done away, and the amount receivable from the Government could bo allotted pro rata to tho contributing authorities. In small local bodies, authority to recommend for admission to the Hospital would probably bo delegated to one or two members of tho council, whilo tho city of "Wellington could, it is urged, continue their present system of allowing the city members of the board to .rccommend. , Good Intentions Not Kept. In tho course of an interview with a Dominion reporter, Mr. Bennett mentioned several new points in support of his scheme of making local authbrities responsible .for the collection of Hospital fees. . , ... ■ "What is the position now, ho said. "A man comes in from tho Hutt or Horowhenua, or from Newtown, with a doctor's certificate, tells his story to a member of tho board (who does not know him from Adam), and tho form entitling 'lrim.to admittance is signed. The board members consider it a part of their duty to sign the form, find really it does not matter to the individual member or. the whole board for that matter if a person pays or does not pay. It only means that if a sufficient number do evade payment the levies 011 the local authorities increase. It is a charge 011 the general body of ratepayers and 110 one in particular cares. But how different would tho case bo if , of Jackson Street, Petone, or ,of Seatoun* had to go to one of his own councillors, who probably knows fairly accurately his position—knows, for instance, that he has been in a steady billet for years, and is quite able to pay the low chargcs made for hospital treatment. He would know that no evasion was possible, and in nino cases out of ten would pay tip. "Many people going into the hospital always intend to pay, but whilst in the institution they perhaps hear that So-and-So never paid anything, and feeling well and fit again, they argue that if others have not paid, why should they? There is no doubt, in my mind, that there is a grave abuse of hospital privileges in Wellington, and this abuse would be greatly lessened if not altogether stopped, if intending patients had to lay their case beforo those with some sort of knowledge ' of their position in life."