HOSPITAL SUBSIDIES

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 61, 6 December 1920, Page 4

HOSPITAL SUBSIDIES

AMENDMENTS TO THE SCALE

MINISTER WILL APPOINT-A

COMMISSION

A now scale of subsidies for hospitals was bel'oro Parliament during • the last session of Parliament. but was struck out of tho amending Bill with the consent of the Minister of .Health (Air. Parr) in order that further inhumes might be made. The Minister mentioned at the time that he would ask Cabinet to set up a commission during the recess to advise tho Government as to the basis of legislation to bo drafted, next year. "Everyone agrees that tho present schedule of subsidies, which dates back to, the Act of 1509, works '•inequitably, • said Sir. Parr on Saturday. "During the war many matters in connection with our hospitals had to stand over. The question of subsidy was one. The largo issuo lias also been raised whether the Government should find tho total cost of tho hospitals, instead of about half a 6 at present, and nationalise, tho whole concern. Personally, I 6eo great difficulties in regard to a scheme of nationalisation at the present juncture, hut-il. is certainly worthy of inquiry. There is another matter 'for inquiry. At present the Government pays a "subsidy of 245. for every J;l of voluntary contributions mado to hospitals. I think this will have to bo readjusted. Under the, Act fclio 6ubsidy for capital , expenditure is pound for pound in all "other respects. The present method of electing members of hospital boards is, I -think, open to improvement. These are all matters upon which the Government might well take competent advice with a view to legislation. I therefore proposo to ask Cabinet, early in the New Year, to set up a commission of, say, five, two of whom will.be members of Parliament, ono an outside medical man, and life two others men with business .and lac*l body experience."