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Hokitika Guardian, 11 September 1924, Page 2

It is not pleasant to learn that Hospital Board linance is again involved. .41tlnnigli only live months of the financial year have passed, there is a stringency in the accounts and the Board has to seek temporary accommodation to the amount of Cl.(100 to enable current accounts to be met. The cause for the stringency is said io lie the increased cost of maintenance, due to the unexpected number of patients during the winter months. The institution has been very full of late, and that fact in conjunction with the large expense incurred while the buildings are in a stage of transition, has added materially to the estimated expenditure when the levies were struck. At that time comment was passed that the charge upon the contributing local bodies was unduly high, hut it was expected that the levy would wipe out the deficit mid give the Board a. comfortable financial position for the year. But the deficit has not been wiped out —it has been increased abnormally, and extra, accommodation has to lie sought. This means that the local bodies will have to continue to foot the high bill of costs tor some time. Unfortunately the range of expenditure in remodelling the new institution has not finished yet. as various additions are being made, and furnishings and grounds have to lie completed. Tho Board will require to look to its internal management. and it seems to he an opportune time to again raise the question of a House Steward or Manager to control the internal oconilfiiy of the institution. The institution itself is now so much larger and the staff and patients no much increased, that it is the duty of one person to attend to the business management of tho hospital, and that person should necessarily he located at the hospital. It i.s not possible for the Matron to attend to her medical duties and give the time and attention to the overlooking of the working staff, many of whom now have outside o.rup.ations. There is also the question of leakage going on in respect to paying patients, and an attentive Steward in this department alone could more than jutsiTv his nppoinment. The subject is well worth the close attention of the trustees if effective economies are to lie introduced in the administration.

Tt is gratifying to note that the press at large is voicing public opinion no less definitely than ourselves in regard to tho treatment of the returned soldiers. now that a cooling off process is noticeable in respect to the Government attitude. Writing of the drop in war pension figures in respect to both the nnmlier and value of pensions now current, the ‘’Lyttelton Times” proceeds to remark that in so far ns the trend of the figures indicates the recovery of soldiers from war injuries there is cause for satisfaction front every point of view, but nobody will wish this account to give evidence of an altered attitude towards the pensioners. Re : irtt- Bttornnciis by Ministers find (}e :

pnrtnientnl officers liave fieen of a 6ort that might l>e construed into an indication that soldiers need look for no favour from the State in future. AA'e are sure that was not the intention, and that the pledges made to the men who fought at Gallipoli and in Flanders have not keen forgotten by those in authority. That being the case wo may look forward with a clear conscience to the gradual easing of the burden of war pensions. The hope that Germany might contribute to our pensions expenditure is now dead, and no matter what tlie fruits of the Dawes plan it seems unlikely that New Zealand will receive any payment, since for years to come the people of Franco and Belgium, whose lands and homes were subjected to the most savage devastation. will Ive able to prceont a stronger claim for reoo.nvpon.so than any that can i>o made in this country. The burden is one that wo must shoulder atone, not grudgingly, hut with gratitude to the pensioners.