HOSPITAL EXPENDITURE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 189, 30 April 1918, Page 3

HOSPITAL EXPENDITURE

PETONE'S STRONG PROTEST. What was described as the excessivo and extravagant expenditure of tho Wellington Hospital Board was discussed at last night's meeting of the Petono Borough Council. The matter was introduced by tho Mayor (Mr. J. W. M'Ewan), w4o pointed out that the •board's estimates, exclusive of expenditure out of loan in connection with the fever hospital, had made it neces6;vry to demand the increased sum of .£9OOO from tho local bodies of the district. Of this Petone's share was £425, an increase from =£1075 last year to £1500. Allowing the board a drop in receipts of approximately i'l6oo net on account of the severance of Horowhenua County from the district, the whole of the balance, J7200, of tho increase was made up entirely of expenditure in connection with the hospital. 'lihat the expenditure was extravagant was readily seen by comparison with other large hospitals "in the Dominion. At the Dunedin Hospital the cost per occupied bed was reduced l'rom XSG in 1915, to XBl for the year ending March 31, 1917. At Wellington, on the other hand, the cast per occupied bfed in 1911 was <£80, in 1915, JOlls in 1917, and .£l6O in 1918. The estimated expenditure for the year endetl March 31, 1919, was based on last year's expenditure, ,£58,015, covering the 'Hospital and its various adjuncts. This tvorked out at ,£169 per bed-an increase of .£9 over last year. This did not take into account the expenditure of .£3515 in cenneetioib,with the maintenance of tho head office—an increase of ,£291 over last year. In emphasising that it must be apparent that Wellington Hospital was very extravagantly managed, the Mayor cited tho case of the Macarthy Hospital. This was a very costly adjunct, and it took four officers to look after an average of four children. Mr. M'Ewan contrasted the cost of running the General Hospital with that of tho Ohiro Home. At the latter institution the cost per inmate per annum was .£26 10s., or £$ as. less than that expended at the Dunetlin Benevolent home. The foregoing facts were, contended tho Mayor, sufficient to justify a protest against the proposed apportionment and with a view to instituting an inquirv he moved: "That a protest be lodged" under Section 42 of the Hospital and Charitable Aid'lnstitutions Act against the apportionment on the grounds that the estimates of the board are excessive." _ The resolution was -unanimously adopted after a short discussion, in the course of which Councillor Cox remarked that very soon the Hospital Board would want the whole of tho borough's rates.