THE BIG LEAP

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 193, 4 May 1918, Page 10

THE BIG LEAP

IN HOSPITAL EXPENDITURE CHAIRMAN OF BOARD EXPLAINS One of the big worries of every municipal body in tho district is tho very considerable call that is made on tho revenue for the needs of hospital and charitable aid. The latter shows a tendency to decrease in cost, but the increase in tho amount being asked tor by the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board irom the various contributing local bodies is what n member of tho City Council called "a stunner." Tho figures (with a comparison with the lovics made last year) are as follow:— » ■ :917-18. 1918-19. i! 6. d, X s. <V, Wellington City Council 16,572 8 S 23,055 IS S Eorovhenua -County Council 2,786 10 8 - Hutt County Council 1,5-K) 5 S 2,150 3 0 Jlakara County Council T56 13 -t 1,037 17 0 Lower Hutt Borough Council .. 1,123 13 0 1,540 17 J Petone Eorough Council 1,075 2 i 1,500 19 S Mirainar Borough ■ Council G22 6 i 862 5 8 Knrori Borough Council 400 2 0 552 IS S Onslow Borough Council US 0 8 591 2 4 Levin Borough Council 233 10 Enstbourneßoro. Council 151 10 8 227 5 4 JohnsonvilleT'n Board- 152 12 0 205 9 S Upper Hutt Town Board ....:.: 178 7 8 255 2 8 Otaki Town Board 15G 6 0 - ■£26,179 0 0 .£31,980 0 0 It vrill be seen from the increased demand made upon Wellington City that the increase is one of 39 per cent!—such an increase that the city has never bad to face in one year in its existence. Seeking the reasons for what is a phenomenal increase in a liability every ratepayer must bo prepared to face, a Dominion representative interviewed the chairman of the board (Mr. H. Baldwin) yesterday, ivho was only too ready and willing to indicate why the expenditure for the current year is to ba so much greater than last vear. "In the first instance," said Mr. Baldwin, "there was the fact that the H.orowhenua district is not now a part of the Wellington Hospital district. That is to say, we can no longer draw upon the Horowhenua, County Council, the Levin Borough Council, or the Otaki Town Board for levies—a district that extends from tho foot of the Paekakariki Hill to Palnierston North, of Hie rateable value of" JJ8,891,0f10. That has meant a'reduction in our local body revenue pf about J!4300 in one hit. Tho trouble is that though we have lost a big district there could be no commensurate reduction in the hospital establishment to onset that loss " ■'Then, again, you have to add the amount of interest and sinking fund rcquTred to meet the .£33,000 loan for tho now fever and diphtheria wards, which amounted to On top of that tlfere were increases in salaries amounting to .£2OOO. I should explain that, whilst half of that amount is accounted' for by automatic increasos that there is no avoiding, there was the amount of the salary to be paid to tho X-ray operator—Mm a year. Ho is not here yet, eo we havo had to engage an assistant to fit up tho plant, .and tho salaries of the two men amount to about .£1000." Questioned as to whether such new expenditure was justified, Mr. Baldwin reminded tho interviewer that it was highly essential that an X-ray plant should only be manipulated by an expert, and he recalled a case where a patient, who was burnt through the jneompetency of the jjerson using the X-ray apparatus, was awarded .£I2OO damages. Mr. Baldwin also said that the bill for provisions (foodstuffs) had increased by 21768 this year, meat alono having jumped 7J- per cent, in price; and coal, which was formerly procurable at 17s. 6d. or 18s. a ton, was now 275. 6d. or more. Tho coal bill; for the hospital for 191G was in 1917 it was .£2457, a rise of nearly and this year it would bo Blill higher.

"In fact," said Mr. Baldwin, "everything needed for tho hospital lias gono up in proportion, and the increase is absolutely unavoidable. Anyone only has to go into the figures to find that out—it is those who don't know anything about it that are inclined to criticise immoderately. There aro other items, too, that one could mention which has brought about thn increases. When I joined the board first in 1908 the first year's salary of a house surgeon was .650 (with hoard and residence), and in Jiis third year he was given .EloO. Now they start at .£IOO and get £'M in their third year. It is .cnly a year or two ago when we depended for ambulance work on the ambulance wagon of die St. John Ambulance Association, which was kept at a city stables for convenience in the matter of horso hire, and it used to be driven by one ot tho drivers or stablemen connected with the place. Now we keep three motordrivers for our two motor ambulances, nud the public is immeasurably benefited by the change, as every doctor knows. "Our total levy (as far i,s local bodies are concerned) has increased from .£26,177 last }_ear to ,£31,980 this year, and 1 maintain that had it not been for the secession of the lforoivhenua district the increase in the levies made on the other bodies would only have been normal. As it was the increase is practically covered by tho three items mentioned—tho umount duo to the loss of levies from Horowhenua, tho interest and sinking fund on an essential loan, and new and increased '.salaries." Mr. Baldwin said that tho proposed building scheme was not taken into account in the expenditure for the present year. That would menu another increase next year.