COMPENSATION CASES

Hokitika Guardian, 25 November 1930, Page 4

COMPENSATION CASES

HOSPITAL BOARDS’ NEED. | By Telegraph, Per Press Association.j WELLINGTON, November 24. The- Secretary of the New Zealand Hospital Board’s Association (Mr E. Cannons) made a statement today in regard to the recent judgment of ttie Supreme Court as to compensation granted in accident cases and payment of Hospital accounts. He said: “Ro turns from a number of Hospital Boards reveal < ions id enable Losses on account of hospital lees f w accident cases, including, unfortunately, tees incurred by persons without dependents and able, but unwilling, to pay. 'Pile unpaid hospital accounts far the past, year of persons without dependents who are well able, but unwilling, to meet their obligations out of the insurance moneys they received vary in amount from £2OO in the ease of smaller hospitals to over £IOOO in the case of larger hospitals.” Mr Cannons continued that the Hospital Boards have no power to enforce the payment of hospital fees from insurance moneys, and usually they solely depend on the kind offices of those solicitors handling the insurance moneys, which offices are highly appreciated hy the Boards concerned, Representations have been made to the Government to have hospital fees paid put of insurance where such payment does not inflict hardship, hut this is not taken up hy the Government, except as provided under the Workers’ Compensation Amendment Act (which was dropped at the end of last session), whereby the medical allowance under the Act was to be increased from £1 to £25, out of which iiospital fees at the rate of £3 per week were ta be paid direct to the hospital concerned. V He concluded: “Despite the co-oper-ation of solicitors in effecting the settlement of hospital claims, many claims do not come under their control. Considerable losses are incurred hy hospital boards, and some further protection, such as that mentioned by Mr Justice Reed, or as could he provided bv legislation, appear® to be desirable.”