NATIONALISING HOSPITALS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 300, 7 September 1918, Page 7

NATIONALISING HOSPITALS

' ■■'~* ' . .- NOT FAVOURED BY CITY " :.GOUiNCIL.

The Leaseholds, and Legislation Committee- made tho following, report to the City Council.on Thursday on the question recently submitted by Councillor L. M'E.enzie that a remit be forwarded to tho Municipal Conference urging the necessity for- nationalising tho hospitals in New Zealand on similar lines to education ■, boards:— . ■ '-'While the committee-.aro not prepared to-recommend the-council to favour the system of nationalising hospitals, . they. aro of opinion that the corporation of other cities should bo .invited with, the view of submitting to • the Municipal Conference a resolution .on the following lines:—That in tho opinion of the council tho present system of hospital administration under which the Government and local bodies have to raise the money that is needed and tho boards, without any effective control .or responsibility, aro privileged to spend it, is highly unsatisfactory; that an amendment of the law is urgently required which will provide for the-representation of. the Government and local bodies on the boards in approximate proportionvto their respective contributions; and that the present system of subsidy from tho Consolidated Fund is arbitary and inequitable and should be placed on a just and uniform basis." ■