EPIDEMIC EXPENDITURE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 257, 25 July 1919, Page 9

EPIDEMIC EXPENDITURE

HOSPITAL BOARD TO. OBTAIN

OVERDRAFT

UP TO £10,000 REQUIRED

On tho rccomineuuAtion of (he li'inanso Committee tho Hospital Board .decided yesterday to empower tlie chairman and secretary to arrange for an overdraft oi tho bank up to Jilii.OOu. Mr. J. )\. M'Kwan, who presided over tho meeting; said Uio overdraft was necessary to meet nnestiinated expendi-ture-m'connection with the epidemic, to pay levies, mid also to emiblo the bortr<l •to meet its liabilities on account of •inflows i)onsioii3 incurred through tho epidemic.. •

Hip treasurer reported'that tiio finances oi tho board would probably bo at a very low ebb niter Juiv ;)l). Xieloio tho close, of the last financial year'applies tion lia-d to be made to the (iovcnuiicnt tw an advance of £3m in order to'uny claims. That deficiency was mainly caused by tho influeii&i epidemic, it had been necessary to purchase -equipment in cose there, was a recrudescence of the epidemic, and tho amount so spent totalled about ..£3OOO. The influenza re. lief claims .had exceeded i'WOO -ami that outlay wns to bo refunded by' -the Government, but up to tho present no refund had been lnudc, and the board's lunds were . being, drawn on for about Per fortnight. In . addition, the Aim borrowed Irom tho Government ih March; Inst,, the buard received by way ot advance, a further sum of MOfiOll, anil those two. sums would have to bo repaid to the Government . before any subsidy could bo claimed. In order to carry out the hoard's engaj;euioiits it would bo necessary to, arrange lor. mi overdraft, and nothing uut ,£IO,OOO would bo sufficient. The overdraft should not be required for more than three or four' months. ' The treasurer 'concluded by firgin* that' , ''prompt steps be" taken lo' obtain -a'i-efund from tho Government of influenza claims that had been paid. In connection with the matter of pe"-' siohs, a letter was received by the bourd from the Public , Health Department'stating that with reference to' the board's claim for J31253 Os. 5d.;-beiug'the amount, paid for epidemic widows for thd ,, period ended March-31 last, tho board had exceeded tho amount payable in some cases owing to tho fact that the amount of widows' pensions had not been deducted from tho maximum allowance payable. As there appeared to be. some-genuine misunderstanding the- Minister- had- approved of. the payment of the overdrawn amount, but pointed out that in future the Department could not pay more than the maximum amount laid down, le~s any widow's pension tliat might, be- received under the Act.'

.Mr. J." Hutchison thought the Minister should be constrained to pay .the refund duo to the board. "The Minister,-" lie remarked, amidst laughter, "does not pay .his debts. We should go to him and make; him pay back the money."' " •■ The board's 'Social \Tel?aro Committee reported that, in answer to a communication from tho committee, tho-Minister had decided that assistance under (lie Government scheme'might include all cases where death occurred from influenza up-to January 31, 1919. The-com-mittee' recommended' that the Minister be asked to take into consideration the inclusion under' the seneme of all eases <of death from influenza, without: any limitations as to (he date when death occurred. The recommendation was adopted.