The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1929. HOSPITAL CONTROL.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 July 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1929. HOSPITAL CONTROL.

At a meeting of the Hospital Board’s Association Executive held last week in Wellington, a proposal that the question of taxation for hospital purposes be reviewed with a view to arriving at a means of apportioning the burden more equitably between town and country ratepayers, was made the subject of a report to be submitted to hospital boards. After summarising the principle of the present system of local taxation for hospital purposes, the committee expressed the opinion that so long as the policy in regard to fees collected was developed step by step, with the increasing utilisation of our public hospitals, and so long as boards met the reasonable:) requirements of outlying districts in the matter of emergency and maternity hospital accommodation, ambulance transportation for hospital cases, and district medical; and nursing services,

there should be no justification for altering the incidence of local taxation in the direction proposed. A proposal that an endeavour be made to have the legal and administrative machinery for the enforcement of maintenance orders used also in the col.ection of hospital debts of persons without dependants was not concurred in. The sliding scale of Government subsidies on local levies for maintenance purposes came under review, a remit received urging in effect that the system of graduating subsidies on the basis of rateable capital valuations was anomalous The executive finally adopted a. report which explained the principles of the present system and its operation, and concluding that it would be difficult to justify an alteration, but that consideration of' the basis of the scheme should serve to emphasise the importance of securing reasonably uniform administrative policies throughout the various districts. A remit came before the executive, “That facilities should be given hospital boards to set off hank interest on current account against interest on loan account” ; that is in case of loans from the bank for capital purposes. It was explained that this required additional statutory power, so that the bank might be given the right of the absolute discretion to apply a credit balance on one account in repayment of the loan account. It was agreed that this was not desirable so far as boards were concerned, and the executive is advising that no action be taken in the direction proposed. Figures compiled by the Department last year showed that of 668 contributors who left the service of hospital boards during a period of twelve months, 54? withdrew their contributions from the fund. Of that number, however, 181 were pupil nurses who did not complete their training, and 271 were nurses who withdrew' three months after completing their training. Suggestions for amending the Act either in the direction of excluding nurses in training from the superannuation scheme or of preventing withdrawal of contributions until twelve months after notice is given, were submitted. It was felt, however, that hardship would result if either suggestion were given effect to. A large number of witlidawals from the fund were undoubtedly due to failure to appreciate the advantages of the scheme With a view to remedying this in some measure it is intended to print an explanatory pamphlet, a. copy to be placed in the hands of every contributor. Authority for the necessary expenditure was given. The question of amending the Act was accordingly deferred. Further efforts are being made to have hospital board debentures included in the list of authorised trustee investments. It was stated that hospital boards were at a considerable disadvantage at present in not being able to accept trust moneys (.except from the Public Trustee), and on the whole have not only to incur greater expense in the flotation of loans, but have to offer more attractive terms to borrowers. Legal opinion obtained .by the association supports the -view that hospital board debentures offer the safest security to lenders, and convenient machinery for the enforcement of payment in the event of a default. The Public Trustee is permitted to lend to hospital boards. Endeavour is also being made to obtain statutory power so that hospitals may have the right at present held by municipalities and other rating bodies of borrowing at call from individuals.