HOSPITAL BOARD ESTIMATES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3987, 21 July 1915, Page 6

HOSPITAL BOARD ESTIMATES.

borough: council consider THEM TOO HIGH. . A LIVELY DISCUSSION, ESTHETES REFERRED LACK TO JT THE BOARD. receipt of a demand from the (Hospital Board for,'the annual levy required from the Borough Council raised 1 quite a storm of protest at the meeting of the Council last night. Mr H. M. Porter, ‘secretary of the Cook Hospital and Charitable Aid Boft'rd, wrote, forwarding a schedule of the various items in tho Board’s estimated expenditure for the current year. The estimated receipts were and the expenditure £13,089. The Borough’s proportion of the amount required was £1389 19s 6d, which he asked should he paid in three equal instalments on the first days of August, October, and December, 1915. The Mayor said they bad three members of tho Hospital Board on the Council. It appeared to him that three items on the estimates wore rather high. These were salaries £3587, provisions £2OOO, and domestic and establishment £3605. He thought the item for salaries were pretty high. . , Or Bright: The salaries are actual. Cr Wade: Tho salaries of the secI retary and doctor alone, run into about £IOOO a year. Tho Mayor moved that tho ostimates be referred back to the Boaru, with a request that, if possible, they should bo reduced. Cr Miller seconded the motion. Cr Collins said it was unusual for estimates to be criticised'. The Hospital Board had gone carefully mto the estimates, and had not asked toi more than they required. II the Council thought they were being asked too high a levy they _could aslc the Minister for a commission. Unfortunately the Hospital Board had been placed in a difficult .position owiurr to the institution being left m a state of incompleteness. The Board had to make up a certain amount ot capital expenditure, owing to boilers and other plant haying to be renewed The levies were high, but would not be so high in future years.’. I lie Board had bad to make provision for the treatment of returning wounded soldiers. , „ . Cr Miller: Is not the Government

providing for that? Cr- Collins: Cr Miller, the Government of the dav has been in such confusion in regard to military matters that they have had to call in the In-spector-General of Hospitals to help them. He (Dr Collins) he kl it was the duty of the Hospital Board to make provision for treating returning wounded soldiers. They were better able financially to deal with them, and had also the medical and nursing stall necessary to carry out such work. He hoped the Council would do what ■ - could to assist the Board. The Council could rely upon its three memboi s on the Hospital Board safeguaidin.

the Council’s interests. they an knew" when they had to erect new buildings that the estimates were often under-estimated. It was reasonable for the members of the Hospital Board to hope that the Council would give tne Board every assistance m their power. He could assure them that the levy, would not be anything like so high‘next year. Dr Collins moved, as an amendment that the Hospital Board be written to, expressing regret that the estimates were so high, and pointing ou that unless they were materially reduced next year the Council won.cl have to take steps to have the let} IL Cr Bright seconded the amend--111 Cr Miller said that the amendment would come better from someone else than the members of the Hospital Board. hie thought that the estimates could be out down a good dea • (jrs "Wildish and Made supported the amendment. Hie latter pointed out that a hundred and one things cropped up when new buildings had to jte erected which could not be t 0 1! c ~ se#i. He did not think that the OBuncil was iustified in criticising the jftinmtes at this stage. The new /ospital was a huge institution, and fit had to be run. Few people realised what a big institution it was. He supported the amendment. Or Lawless said he supported the Mayor's motion-to refer the estimates back to the Hospital Board. They all admitted that the hospital was a big institution, but he for one wanted fuller particulars as to why the estimates should be so high. Cr Brown said the Hospital Board was not in a position to give fuller particulars. It- was no use their kickmg against, the levy ; they would, lift' e said he was pleased to see the spirit in which, the amendment had been received. It was an unwise proceeding for any public body t-o hold a pistol at anyone’s head. Had the matters mentioned by Cr Miller been mentioned at the Hospital Board he would have replied to them in a more spirited manner, but lie preferred to take them in a friendly spirit. Cr Miller was right in saying that the estimates should be made out in time for the local bodies to make provision for them. With regard to the controversial matters introduced by Or Miller, he preferred not to answer them that night, but lie would do so if they so desired. If lie did so perhaps Cr Miller would regret it. Cr Miller; Oh, no; go ahead. Cr Collins: You may regret it if I do.

Or Miller: Go ahead, Cr Collins. Don’t think you can hold a pistol at my head. J)r Collins thanked the Council. for the patient hearing they had given him, and said he hoped the Council would extend consideration to the j>oard.

The Mayor said that no doubt til© discussion would do good. An interjection' from Cr Miller regardin'* extravagance called forth a hot retort from Cr Collins. Cr Collins: Cr Miller’s imputation that gross extravagance has taken place is unjust and unfair. The statement wh.icli appeared in the press front the cliairmait of the Board referred only to four beds at the hospital. ■Or Miller: I will reply to that by saying that the chairman of the Board in’apologising to tho matron showed that the Board, and not the matron, was to blame for the extravagance. The chairman of the Board did use the word “extravagance,” and in apologising to the matron he undoubtedly placed the blame upon! the Board. Cr jyf linns rose to a point of order, as Crs Collins and Miller engaged in a heated cross-table discussion. Cr Collins’ amendment was then put and lost by four votes to five, Or« Collins, Bright, Brown, and Wade voting for it, and the Mayor and Crs Lawless, Wildish, Munns, and Miller against. The Mayor’s motion to refer the estimates back to the Board was then put and carried, the voting being as before.