HOSPITAL COMMISSION

Hokitika Guardian, 19 April 1921, Page 3

HOSPITAL COMMISSION

POSITION OF WESTLAND. WELLINGTON, April 16 MY It. Wild (chairman of tile Westland Hospital Board) said that his hoard held that as a general principle, the Government should contribute pound for pound for hospital purposes over the whole Dominion ; and, whether for capital or maintenance expenditure, the subsidy should be paid on tbe pro- ! portional basis, worked out by the dej partment and modified by the Confer- | ence of Boards. He pointed out that, notwithstanding the heavy rate burden j and the comparative poverty of the ' people in the district, the voluntary I contributions received and promised in I Westland in 1921 amounted to 1i2f)52. ! This equalled 5s lOd per head of the population and was manifestly more than in the case of any other district in the Dominion, and was entirely due to the deep sense the people had of their need of medical help. All contributions, whether by way of levies, voluntary donations, or bequests, should, the board held, be subsidised, on an average for the Dominion at the rate of 20s in the pound. The board considered that all separate charitable institutions should he under the control of their local boards. As regards patients’ fees, it favoured a uniform flat rate for the whole Dominion. The provision of private wards or hospitals for wealthy patients should be left to private enterprise. The board favoured the appointment of a direct Government representative on each board, but not the nomination of members by the contributing local authorities. In his personal opinion, half the members of | the boards should be appointed by the i Government. The board held that it should lie a requirement that any future appointment of secretaries should he restricted to members of the Society of Accountants. Supplies to all hospitals should as far as possible be standardised, and all obtained through the department, thus securing to the small boards the advantages of buying in a big way. SITTINGS AT AUCKLAND. [BY TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS A9SOCI \TTON] AUCKLAND, April 19. Tho Advisability of establishing private wards in public hospitals was discussed before tbe Royal Commission of j Hospitals. The general tenor of tho I evidence was against any differentin- ] tion of treatment, questions being put i from members of the commission with j a view to elucidating the position of j the ratepayer in good circumstances | who contributes largely to the insti- , tution, but is denied admission.