SOLDIER PATIENTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20094, 14 November 1939, Page 4

SOLDIER PATIENTS

MANY IN HOSPITAL PAYMENT TO BOARDS FEE OF I 1./- DAILY (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. According to information given to the Auckland Hospital Board last night by the chairman, Mr. Allan Moody, about 150 soldiers, mostly influenza cases, arc at present in the board's institutions and full provision has been made for any increase in thi; number.

Mr. Moody stated that civilian patients had been evacuated from two wards at the Auckland intirmamy. This accommodation was adequate and the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association had readily agreed to give the board the use of the showground buildings nearby if they were required. Other offers of assistance had also been received. His own view, said Mr. Moody, was that the military authorities should provide their own hospital accommodation for ordinary cases, but since the Government had decided, as a matter of policy, to make hospital boards responsible, whenever more than 48 hours of in-patient treatment was required, the board would willingly do what was required of it. Provision was being made for more nurses.

Lengthy correspondence was received from the Director-General of Health, Dr. Watt, regarding hospital accommodation for military patients from training camps, forts and other establishments. Dr. Walt slated that the Government had decided that, for the maintenance and treatment of all army sick and wounded, a payment of 5s a day would be made from the war expenses account in addition to 6s a' day from the social security fund in respect of hospital benefits. This scale of payment would operate as from October 17.