HOSPITAL LEVY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 192, 3 May 1918, Page 5

HOSPITAL LEVY

CITY COUNCIL IN PROTEST BIG INCREASE IN ESTIMATE HIGHER RATE INVOLVED The levy made by Iho Wellington Hospital Bowd upon tho City Council this ■ year is ,E23,055, against last year's levy of X 16,572. Tho increaso of M1%3 soema likely to involve tho City Council in an increase ci tlio rates, and at last night's meeting members of tho council showed considerable coucern on this point. A statement of hospital expenditure placed before tlio council by tho Mayor contained tho following figures.— last year. Estimate. £ £ Hospitals 53,112 50,515 Macarthv Homo 628 COO Charitabio Aid 33,916 13,875 . Otaki 158 "— Indigent patients ... 81!) 900 Head Offico 3,251 3,515 Capital expenditure (other than loan) 2,002 4,380 ■£74,8-19 .£79,815 The general receipts show a reduction of '.£3701, to be added to an increaso in expenditure , of JM996. The Mayor said that tho Hospital Board was composed of men elected on the samo franchise as the city councillors, and it did not seem advisable for the council to criticise tho work of tho, board. There was another way of approaching the subject if tho system of hospital control was not satisfactory. Ho expressed hearly appreciation of. tho work done by the hospital staff under the difficult conditions created by tho war. Medical men wero now very scarce, and this fact had involved tho Hospital Board in increased expenditure. The scope of the board's work had been widened. Comparisons between one city and another were not worth much unless the cost per bed could be ascertained. It was a fact that Auckland Hospital collected a larger portion of its fees than Wellington Hospital did. This year's levy on the council by tho Hospital Board showed an increase of .£6483, but the board's revenue had not increased, eince Horowhenua district had dropped out. Mr. Luke quoted detailed figures regarding hospital accounts. He added that he was prepared to trust the board, which was elected by the - -people, and give it the money it needed. He felt sure the board would keep down its expenditure wherever possible, but he had received an assurance from the board's Finance .Committee that no reduction could be made. Tho expenditure proposed at the Hospital seemed all to be essential. The council, could not stand in the way of essential works being done or adequate salaries being raid. . Councillor Wright said the continued increase in the Hospital Board's levy ought to be discussed. Ho objected to the system that enabled one local body ■to demand money from another local body. The people did not understand the position, and they would blame tho council for increasing the rates. There ■ had been an enormous increase in the hospital and charitable aid expenditure during the last ten years, since the present system camp into operation. The levy had been .£9622 in 1908, and it was -£23,055 in 1918. The population had increased by only 15 per cent, in this period. The cost of Wpitul treatment per head was much higher in Wellington than in other centres. ,The whole matter demanded attention, and he felt that the Hospital Board should be empowered to levy its own rate direct. The people would know" then where the nifiney was going. Councillor Shorland moved that the council should appeal against tho levy on the ground that it was excessive. -Councillor Veitch seconded the motion. Hβ said that the law gave the council tho right to protest, and he felt that the council would be lacking in its duty to the public if it allowed the levy to pass without serious objection. Tho hospital figures suggested gross extravagance. The Mayor said he had made a rough calculation showing that the cost per bed was .£215 per annum in Auckland i and £230 in Wellington. Councillor Fitzgerald said he agreed with the principle of trusting,the Hospital Board, although the levy upon the council had grown very large. Wellington had always a larger floating population than any other centre, and this fact affected the hospital expenditure. Tho huge' increase in the cost of living was a factor that could not ba disregarded. It appeared to him that the council would have to pay the levy. The expenditure proposed was all necessary, and the boaTd had lost an important source of revenue through the withdrawal of Iforowhenua.

Tho Mayor said the increase was due chiefly to tho increased cost of food and supplies, the reduced receipts from fees, find tho loss of revonuo from Horowhejiua. Councillor Norwood urged that all hospital .boards should bo required to Bhow their expenditure in greater detail, in order that the position might bo understood by the people. He would like to see a comparison on a basis of beds and pat'.ents. A better system would be to make hospital maintenance a charge ogainst the public revenue. The council apparently had no option but to pay the levy. But he felt that the Hospital BoaTd was a rather irresponsible body. It spent money that another bcdy had to find. The big increasj in the levy would mean an increase in the rates, and the council would be blamed. Councillor M'Kenzie said that moch of tho trouble was due to the incTM.% in the cost of living. . He thought the council, should ask for a changed system of 'hospital control. Under preaftfit conditions an active and efficient staff could jncreaso the expenditure at a hospital by suggesting improvements that in themselves were not desirable. He gave notion of motion that the Government should bo urged to take over control of the public 'hospitals. Councillor Barber said payment of 'the levy would mean an increase in tho rates, and tho councillors had promised economy. They were exercising economy in city administration, and tho time was most inopportune for an increaso in tho rates. Tho levy would put up the rato to close upon <Jd. The council ought to ■protest. Councillor Castle thought that many people who could afford to pay for medical and hospital troatmont were making use of the hospital. Councillor Luckie said the Wellington Hospital had tended materially to becomo n national hospital. Its equipment made it tho finest hospital, in Now Zealand, and the concentration of war effort in "Wellington had greatly increased its ivork. Tho system of hospjtal control and financo was a bad one. The peoplo got full value for tho money spent on iho Wellington Hospital, but tho money ought to come from tho public funds. Hospital administration v/ns a national ivork. A protest against tho present levy •would bo of no avail. An appeal would require, under tho law, to bo based on iin assertion that the proposed expenditure wns excessive, and ho did not think tho council could mako that allegation. 'A comparison of expenditure between 'Auckland and Wellington did not convoy much useful information; since the conditions were different. Tho council, as a matter of fact, had not sufficient infonna-. iion to bass a decision upon. Councillor Bennett suggested that tho matter should stand over until further information had been obtained. Councillor Shorland's motion was carried, and it was decided that a special meeting of tho (ouncil should bo held on Monday evening next to considor the Hospital Board's figures.