The Hokitika Guradian FRIDAY, JULY 28th, 1922. HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 28 July 1922, Page 2

The Hokitika Guradian FRIDAY, JULY 28th, 1922. HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT

At tlie Farmers' Union Conference at Wellington, and at other gatherings of late, special attention is being directed to the question of hospital management. This s growing beyond the means of reasonable local resources, and still there is the demand for greater expenditurc. Two phases in protest were revealed in the press telegrams this week. One was the demand that the earn and control of hospitals should be taken off the shoulders of the ratepayers, and placed entirely on the Consolidated Fund. At present half the estimated deficiency on management, after providing for anticipated incomo, is el,nrg- ! ed to the Government. Tint this share leaves still a great burden on the ratepayers. and in the poorer districts it is proving an overburden, adding enormously to the rates. Another effort is being made to have the subsidies adjusted so that poorer districts will receive a more equitable allowance from the Government, and to that extent re. lieve the rates. Tt is most likely that reform will come along this line, rather , than that the Government will bear the whole burden. The financial position of the country nt- present is probably delaying the readjustment of the subsidies, just as it if) blocking oltogether the transfer of the whole cost of hespiffti nw&spmsh? w the publlo -

treasury. In this district for instance relief is I sully needed. The figures show that the local hospital district is about the third highest rated for hospital purposes .in the Dominion. That is an unfair burden in a district where there are so many obligations on the local bodies in regard to the expansion of settlement and the development of new modes of transport, involving an ever increasing rate of expenditure for road maintenance purposes. If is always much easier to increase than to [ curtail expenditure, and this seems to I apply with particular force to hospital | management. The care of the sick and j the helping of the needy always appeals ! to the sympathies, and there is the readiness to err on the side of good nature. A correspondent the other evening in all good faith referred to some aspects of management the Old people’s Home. His attitude which no one would rare to cavil at. is a ease in point, indicating the general promptings which move most men when dealing with philnntrophic work. Those responsible for the management, how* ever, hare to hold the balance fairly a s between what might serve best, and those who have to pay. There is a limit to local resources, and on that account it is largely a matter of curtailing expenditure than adding to it. The Hoards responsible for the management of hospital and charitable institutions | have difficult tasks to carry out, hut on the whole it will be admitted they i do their duty well. Tn most eommuni- , ties, and certainly on the West Const, j those who serve on such bodies are public spirited men who are imbued with the idea of doing a fair thing for their fellow men in sickness or distress. No legitimate ease is turned down, nor anywhere are staffs unduly overworked. The various institutions are better I served with staffs to-day tiiaii at any time in their existence, and mem lien cl the staffs are required to hoid in most cases certified recommendations, The plea which is apparent from the motions passed at the Farmers’ Union is that in most places, as here, the burden on the ratepayers for hospital in. in. tenanee is pressing unduly and that tile time has arrived for some relief to be afforded. I util the Government come to the icseiie along tin* lines required, tlie Boards must act economically and i-.cre is evidence this is now beiim done locally.