HOSPITAL FINANCE

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 59, 3 December 1926, Page 10

HOSPITAL FINANCE

INCOME AND EXPENDITURE FOR DOMINION

During his remarks at the laying of the foundation stone of the new building at the Wellington Hospital yesterday, the Minister of Health (Hon. J. A. Young) pointed out that the principal items in the income of hospital boards (including receipts on account of capital) during the year ended March 31, 1926, were:—From Government, £580,000; levies on local _ authorities, (525,600; voluntary contributions, (18,000; fees actually received, (324,000; rents, etc., (25,000; total, (1,473,000. The principal items of expenditure were:-— Hospital maintenance, (925,000; charitable relief, (371,000; administration, (49,000; interest on loans, (52,000; district nursing, etc., (18,000; capital expenditure, (578,000; total, (1,993,000. Tiie capital cxpencture is represented by purchases of land (10,000, erection of buildings (488,000, and. equipment (80,000. There is also ttye amount required annually towards the repayment of the loans, which in the case of extensive building operations is required to be spread over a period of years. The actual figures, representing sinking fund repayments, are not at the moment available.

In addition to the Government contribution must be added a further (107,000 (expenditure on thirteen hospitals), which it administers itself and towards which it receives some (68,000 fees from patients. The hospital expenditure shows an increase over the preceding year owing to increase in number of institutions and beds; but it may also be noted that the fees received show a proportionately greater increase, whilst the charitable aid expenditure dropped some (12,000.