NO REDUCTION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 210, 24 May 1918, Page 5

NO REDUCTION

IN HOSPITAL LEVIES

TRENCHANT CRITICISM BY BOARD MEMBERS

SALARIES AND WAGES INCREASED BY £10,000 IN THREE YEARS

That tho committee camiot see its way to make any reduction in the estimates already passed bv the board for tho year ending March, 1019, but tlmt overy caro will be taken during the year to reduce expenditure wherever possible.

Tho above innocent paragraph in tho rejxirt of tho Finance, Property and Policy Committee submitted to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was about lo be "taken as rend," when Mr. C. M. Luko suggested that it might l» amplified, in view of tho criticism from all tho local bodies concerned, giving, perhaps, the reasons for tho increase. The chairman (Mr. 11. Baldwin) said that ho could not seo how it was possible to reduce tho estimates submitted to local bodies. There wore several matters which had been considered bavins; lo do with internal matters and wages paid, but; liioy were not able to report, To show that Wellington's position when, compared with other centres was not so bad, Mr. Baldwin submitted n comparative statement, showing the number of beds, tho capital and other expenditure, tho total amount nf the. levy, and what it: represents on the rateable value of tho lands concerned. The return read as follows:— Christchnrch. Averago number of beds ; 236 Capital expenditure X",OSO Other expenditure .£11,093 Total levy .£18.173 Ealo 218 d. Auckland. Average number of beds 118 Capital expenditure £%500 Other expenditure .£28,518 Total lew Bate 170 d. Wellington. Averago number of beds ~ 361 Capital expenditure 22,190 Other expenditure .£29,790 Total levy ,£31,980 Bate 269 d. Dunedin. Averago number of beds 274 Capital expenditure JE6.500 Other expenditure .£20,382 Total lew -£26,882 Ealo *.....: 276 d. The chairman said that the figures, which were reliable, wero a fair indication of the position. Tho rise in hospital cost was universal. It was not only happening in New Zealand, but in. Australia and elsewhere. He. quoted from the annual report of the Prince Alfred Hospital, Svduey, which said that the cost per bed had increased from .£ll9 per annum in 1916 to -C 132 in 1917. There was no possibility, in spite of what tho local bodies said, of reducing the estimates. '

Mr. J. W. M'Ewan said that the figures the chairman had quoted showed a fairly, large difference between Wellington and Auckland in favour of tho latter citv. It had a large rateable value. (Mr. van Staveren: ",£11,000,000 more.") Mr. M'Ewnn pointed out, however, that whilst Auckland's capital expenditure was larger, its ordinary expenditure was actually loss than Wellington's. Ho did not know what year the figures wero for. Tho secretary: The current.year. Mr. M'Ewan said that if that was the case the relntivo position of Christchurcli and Wellington was most extraordinary, for whilst Wellington's ordinary , (not capital) expenditure wns .£29,790, that of Clnistchiirch was ,£41,093, which on the face of it indicated a peculiar state of affairs, and Christchurcli had fower beds than Wellington, too. Tho chairman said that they could only accept the Christchuroh figures. Ho had a copy of the Christchurcli board's estimates before him, which any member could see. Mr. M'Ewan said he was not entirely ignorant on tho question. In the caso of the Woolston Borough Council its levy for 1917-18 was £H6, and this year .C-19G, only £~Q more; yet what did they find here? Take Karori for example. In 1917-18 it paid .Ctoo, now it was being asked for ,£ss2—an increaso of .£152.

The chairman mentioned the loss of tho Horowhenua district os "beinjj a severe one, but Mr. M'Ewan jointed out that tho loss of that district was not so great as waa being represented when tlv,? cost of the Qtaki Sanatorium and Hospital were taken into full account. Ho doubled if the board had made a dear profit out ot Horowhenua. The chairman: I'll show you how we made a profit of .£5500 in two years .out of Horowhenua. Mr. Eliwan: "You can't claim all tho levies as profits." Ho did not know : how the board would have fared in the district had it not been for the generosity of tho Government last year. The chairman: I've not seen any generosity to the board from tho Government yet. Mr. M'Ewan referred to tho taking over of the hospital and sanatorium at Otnki by the Government. Mr. van Staveren rose to a point of order—tliat the figures and arguments did not bear upon tho motion—but was ruled down. Mr. M'Ewan thought that • the position was such that the matter should bo held over, at least until they had the report of the special committee 6et up to inquire into the affairs of tho Hospital. The chairman said that the committee's duty was only to go into wages and salaries. It had found that the Wclliugtou salaries were, some JC3O only highor than thoso at Auckland, and he detailed a lot of figures bearing on the , bacteriological and. dental branches. It'! might bo possible, to reduce tho outside, stall'. Wellington was .£SO inside Auck- ' land taking tho whole of the insido staff, , but. was a good deal aht\ad as far as tho outside staff was concerned. Whatever wits done, however, would not jnako .CIOIW difference, in'the. wtjinatw, and. the. t-oouor thoy j;\st in tho. levies (ho better.

Xlr. Ov XI. bike. s*iA <W. his motion Wfn\\\H\\s the dwtk-s of 1.1»« fiW-'iil ooihnnttw had borac #icii liwitAlwn as I had be«i sYij&wt-ert tiv Mr. KulAwin. ] Mr. t>..T. Bnvn »ol think W-rs xra» ,V,vy ■ s,'t-ttittK vWt «t .fAyTTip rfe : YivP ivhlly 'fhc Viyriilt <Vf y>WVatt. • ins; w.Wh'vWm. Tjl s!'sf> 'Die Kawrt ! Iter.cn. 'C'fiityvil -tad V/a'ital OYt iU Holt. |vi. NX"-. Ku«si-Tl ,'.«> 'oo'iiviill .Ti'irt oft She. I tvisH'or vi'.fiii'Mrtioij. . Tlio Minister had. jiXem. t.-iVI tlip'ih.'H'hi'tlio'-ftyifetti in \v>s»w 1 "K'fiA Wri. introduced 'by '}ii!ijjr&'.vw-or. | Vii\ slid life Jp'tfth'iwvl to iiwtvose liW ;inVi<iy Worn. 'JIK «1. tt AY. That I \vn=; in 1 l!>W--J>j:<! -lto'iv> 'rlitv Wr« fiill in |l'he >o>iiU ; h, },vlli"(ii; Yfc. 3d. in |i)i.-- ,il. iv'h'iM A'iirt-lii.iA' 'j,vi. IS*, Shi. ,ifce'ViHk-V VlftV lh.. Wml. 0. XV. Kn-?Mi T-Sd iJio'rA -s'nst IXs muuo down >w,Oi. a'nd iV.-.v VOVIW r-wJviMv leaf no itavw aW.U Vi. Vie. wished 1-0 fay (lint ilie- Wal AVii'hoV'ltio* were txi blame for viol )h«i llio o\i\wn»ipiit. was Atifts il-» \ittU. NVKv chould Ai-cltlnnd fw-l l'>, M. *',\d NVelHnston only lGs. Ltd. til On* .i\? biV:itt,«o NVelliiig(oiiV vatne at> a wholo was lower than AnoAlsMdV. Xlv. btlvos Thal'K inespllc-ablo! Mr. Hum: Well, 1 (ell you Air. Eusfell tw\iiHtwd us the ino.rea.so, in 1910. XIV, van filrtrwen: He promised bo niueh, Xlr, Ibim: "And then (1m position arises: What if Knniri and nil other hiiiMushs willulrow? NX'hiil. would (ha position of llio XVellinulon Hospital bo?" lie personally was very pleased Xtr. M'Mwnn lind broiißlit llm >rliolo ll'iiig l'linvnrd. ... Xlr, M'Kivan referred lo BiiKgcstions ho had made as lo stores, He., m-t' lmvlnar been piven •'■ffeet. 10, ond said that salaries and irapes had inrrtapi'il by .I'lfl.Hltn in three yean tfij. He. feri'iin: lo the latter, l.e enul an explnnalinu was wanted, n M,|Ticiriit explanation had not boon Riven, Tho clauso was adopted.