PUBLIC HOSPITALS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2776, 20 May 1916, Page 6

PUBLIC HOSPITALS

FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

THE NATIONALISATION IDEA

The subjects of the financing and the management of public hospitals were briefly disoussed by tho executive of'the Municipal Association, which met in Wellington yesterday. Mr. J. W. M'Bwan (Potone) moved:— "That the prewot method of levying local bodies for the upkeep of hospitals,and oharituble aid should bo discontinued, and that hospitals, etc., be nationalised arid tho whole upkeep be'met out of general' revenue, the whole treatment, etc.. to be free of cost to patients, and the Government be urged to bring down the necessary legislation to givo. effect to the. same." o

Mr. M"Kwan said that thero was nothing revolutionary in tho motion. At present the "medical services for 'the Army were nationalised and so -were maternity homes. There was almost continuous friction'between liospital boards and the Public Health Department, regarding potty financial nwittenis. 'Ho contended 'that if tho Department took over the hospitals it would be entitled to, manage them. Mr. H. Baldwin (Lower Hutt) protested against the motion. Ho asked if the meeting wished the hospitals to .revert to tho conditions existing prior to 1885. In that year the control was taken away from tho State because ±he condition of affairs was, found to be rotten.

1 Mr. J.-J. Clark (Dunedin) said that if they, were going in for the best treatment for. the public they would' stick, to local control: As the mover had admitted, tho public confidence in the public hospitals had grown remarkably of late— this under' the present system. Tinder State control the cost of Tunning hospitals might bo, lessened, but it was a

question of life versus pence. -Mr. H- Holland (Christchurch) said that ii nationalisation were introduced, private donations to-hospitals would be lost.

Mr. J. P. Luke (Wellington); agreed. Ha regretted that criticism'had been levelled at tho management of the Wellington Hospital finances. The Wellington Board had done great work. Mr. F. Townserid (Miramar) said that [he cost placed upon the small bodies was unfair rind out of proportion., ' ' ; Replying, Mr. JfEwan said it was no use going.back to 1885; the State Sanitoria to-day were quite as well run as the pub•lic hospitals. < ! The motion was heavily defeated. ' Mr. .T. P. Luko (Wellington) then moved that Parliament should be asked to niter tlie method of electing hospital and charitable aid boards, and that in future eaoli contributing local body should have the right of appointing a member, or members, according to .their contributing value.

_Mr. TI. Baldwin opposed the motion, lie said that the people elected to hospital boards were as much the direct re-presentatives-of-'the city or borough as if the.y were sent forward from the City Council or borough council. . Mr. J. J. .Clark (Dunedin) said it was the old question of no taxation without representation; the body who found the' money should , have some say in its expenditure. Moreover, if the local bodies were directly represented,' the Government, too, should be represented. The motion was carried. "

The following .Groymouth remit wa3 lost: "That contributing loqal bodies should have proportional representation on hospital and charitable aid boards, viz:—. If rated on capital gallic, the representation should be based on capital value, or if rated on. imputation, basis ..the representation should be based on its ponulation.".