HOSPITAL EXPENDITURE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2758, 29 April 1916, Page 3

HOSPITAL EXPENDITURE

MOVEMENT BY KARORI BOROUGH . ' .COUNCIL. At the Karori Borough Council meeting on Thursday a good deal was said about the increased demand made.upon the borough purse by the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board in their levies for tho current year, and surprise was expressed at the big jumps the expenditure appeared to be making without any particular warrant. As the result of the discussion on the matter, it was resolved to ask the board to furnish the council with a full list of its proposed receipts and expenditure. En connection with tho receipts, one member pointed out that little or no effort was made by the board to col lect moneys owing to it by people who had received treatment in the Hospital, and could afford to pay for it on the scale charged by the board, leaving it for the ratepayers, who were not, as a rule, thoso who. received' free Hospital treatment, to bear the burden of those who impose on the Hospital authorities. It was also resolved to ask the Hospital.and Charitable Aid Board .to supply a return of the number of residents within the Karori Borough who have received Hospital treatment during the past three- years, the length of time they wereViu the Hospital, and how many of the 'number paid fori treatment. One councillor, in speaking to this resolution, said that he could'-not consider it fair or reasonable that a borough should have to pay out such a large sum without knowing where the money was going to, and why. The allocation was made upon the. capital value of property, which may or may not be fair. In the case,of Karori, he believed that there were, very few people from tho borough who troubled the Hospital, and. fewer still; who, when they went to the Hospital, did not pay for-their treatment. \- Tho capital value of the Karori Borough for the year 1915-16 was £478,317;' this current year it has been increased to £483,542. A ROUGH SUMMARY. ' The following rough summary of receipts and expenditure for the .current year,was presented to members at the last meeting of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board: — £ £ Hospitals ' 34,728 '.' Charitable Aid 14,905 j Administration 3,230 ... . 72,863 Receipts— Hospitals 17,569 . Charitable Aid ...... 2,150 ■ Head Office 300 . . Assets over liabilities as at March 31; I 1916 '. 440 20,169 'Amount of liability 52,404 Apportionment and subLevies on localjjodies 28,775 Government -subsidy 23,629 '• 52,404