FRIENDLY SOCIETIES

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 131, 29 November 1929, Page 9

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES

HOSPITAL FEES,

APPEAL AGAINST INCREASE

The Wellington Hospital Board recently passed a resolution to 'Increase the patients' fees from. 93. a :day. to 12s a day. In. the case oil members of friendly societies, who - under the same resolution, were to tie charged half the ordinary fees, it meant that on and after Ist January next the charges for friendly society pati<#ita will-tie 6s a day instead of 4s 6d a day aa ia the past.. . :;._;

Yesterday afternoon- the following: representatives -of friendly •- societies waited on the board to protest; against the proposed increase of fees: Messrs! W. M'Laughlin (Druids)," B;cßusseU. (A.0.F.), G. Budkin (L0.0.F.; J. M'llraith, G. Guise,-J. O'Sullivan, and B. Bell (1.0.0J1., M.U.).

Mr. W. M' Laughlin. said that th« friendly societies realised the -work; that the board was doing in the in-; terests of humanity and for; the betterment of their fellow:men.:: 'Tieamount of fees collectable, ;the-sum actually collected by the: board^- and' the amount'received from thei-friend-., ly societies were mentioned; It had; been stated that friendly societies were wealthy and could well affotd to pay the fees asked for. The.amount |of sick pay paid to members since the. | inception of the friendly society I movement. in New : Zealand was. about two and three-quarter millions, - and the amount.paid for 1928. was: £128,-. 897. It-was maintained that froniv*. business standpoint the societies were a help to the hospital. The Auckland Board recognised that fact, and after many years * experience had decided not to increase the fees to the public or friendly societies (£3 3s per week, and 50 per cent.-reduction).

WOULD HAMPER THE SOCIETIES,

The great majority of hospital. 1)03138, said Mr. M'liaughlin, agreed .to .a. limitation, of the period of treatment. This was considered by many persons to be absolutely necessary. The "executive of the Hospital Boards'; Association recommended limiting the period to thirty weeks. The speaker made a strong appeal to the board not to carry out the proposed 7 increaSai of patients' fees to friendly societies'.

Mr. G. F. Eudkin said that;'if, ths increased charge were imposed, it would seriously tamper the societies. .<.it might result in some ceasing to contribute, and in their members coming on. the hospital in. the ordinary way.

The chairman. (Mr. C, M. Luke), la reply, drew attention to the necessary increased cost of maintaining the hospital during recent years owing to the advances in medical science, and the admitted dnty of putting the welfar* of the patient before all other considerations. He did not think ior a moment that the friendly -societies would ask the board to do anything which would lessen tie efficiency of the hospital merely to meet such eiicumstanoes aa had been put before* the board by the deputation. : Mr. Luke pointed out that about 50 per cent, of the board ?s income from.contributory bodies . came from small ratepayers, and any increase ia hospital cost meant increased rating. of these small ratepayers.- '■"- The board would seriously consider the representations which had been made by th» deputation and give the friendly- societies a reply in due course. " ■■.■ -.