Page 3 Advertisements Column 2

Hokitika Guardian, 24 January 1929, Page 3

Freedom of choice on the part of the patient whether he will ho attended bv the medical staff of the hospital or bv his own practitioner appears to the department to he a reasonable suggestion Objection to the pay-ward system has been raised on the ground that it must entail extensions to the hospitals which would necessitate a charge on the general public The Department apparently likes the view that the fees would have to he based on a scale that would prevent any of the cost, either capital or maintenance, from falling on the pubic funds. It makes a strong point on behalf of persons possessed only of moderate incomes, upon whom private hospital charges sometimes fall very heavily, when it asks: “Why should not advantage be taken of numbers to ensure moderate charges in the pay wards for medical and surgical treatment?”—“Otago Daily Times.”