HOSPITALS BILL

Hokitika Guardian, 25 November 1932, Page 8

HOSPITALS BILL

SECOND READING IN THE HOUSEAMALGAMATION OF DISTR-CTS. WELLINGTON, November 22. In movin'g th^'eoiiond reading of the Hospitals and Charitable Institutiohs Amendment Bill <! hf “thle* House ! of-' R®pre sedatives to-day, the Hon. J. AYdung' said > the measure Wagf' designed Jma\ke further '‘pror'isidfi for " the amialgnm'aiibn; df small hospitals r ]! ,s " tridts; AmnlgahiatiOfa : eouHd ridt take place' at the "present time" unless 'by mutbal"consent of the Boards concerned'dr by legislation; 1 -The Bill brbiigKt hospital-bdasrcU 1 iifto l : ne' with- tberrla-fc relatihg to coUntfek and niunicipMitio 3 Mr I M. J. Savage • (Lab.“ ; Aucltkild West) said there was a tendency dbc-day to 'minimise rather than to" increase cervices, and fo r that reaso'n One "wits eri-titi-'d to utter, a-'warning against the danger that amalgamation‘ might 1, tnea-” the'cutting out of "country hospitals and institutions or’ services‘given tb country' districts.- Commenting on the clause '’elating-1 0 maternity services-"Mr Safi age said it appeared that the Government was endeavouring 'to transfer all ihe ''responsibility ; from the State to the Hospital Boards. • Mr W. E. Parry (Lab., Auckland ("VntTalV appealed to the Minister 'to give effect to the ; promise which he said had been made-'-by the United Government that a representative df the- irimates 'would be appointed to the Board controlling the Jubilee Institute for the Blind. - ‘-V: ■■ ' ■ '

OBJECTION TO PRINCIPLE. Mr P. Eraser (Lab;, Wellington Central) said the Bill took away powers which i-iglit-ly belonged -to • parliament He considered that- the: measure should be sent to the Health Committee so that its full- implications 'could be thoroughly considered. While tne Hospital Boards’ 'Association might have had an opportunity of examining some of- the 'proposals the public was very much concerned, particularly people in country - areas.- The representatives ofthe "smaller hospital afi. opportunity of placing their-'views not -before a Commission but - before the 'House. He objected to the principle of the people m- country districts being 'deprived of hospitals without Parliament being consulted. - . ’Mr-A. M;-Samuel (C.-. Thames) said country hospital bonrds were very concerned about; the Bill. which he con; sidered would confer autocratic powers upon a Government official '-in-the dirSctibn of hospital . administration. 8.-? agreed with Mf Fraser that th e Bill, shduld go to the Health Committee. 'He did not think ;it would he wise ' to appoint one-man Commissions. ■ Members with" a ' knowledge -of local conditions-' should be on a'U Commissions.-

Mr K. -S. :\Villiam s . (C;, r Bay of Plenty) said he hoped country districts would .be given every facility to submit evidence before- any; decision to ■ close hospitals was reached t-by" the v 'Com-" mission. '" •"< • / "

Air ,T. 'O’Brien (Lab., AVotst] and) emphasised the 'necessity- for .reasonable medical aid ia mining and. sawmilling districts. ••c-.-l ■

SCOPE FOR ECONOMY. . Air S. G. Smith' (C., New Plymouth) supported the Bill which he suggested might well go further. H© invited the Minister to consider the advisability of. proposing to Cabinet that the measure, should make -provision for a-fuller and wider investigation into the whole question of hospital administration. The country wag faced with a fall in the national income, and he advocated ah investigation, -not in AA’dlington, where evidence would be limited practically to the Departmental heads, but in the districts themselves with a view to maintaining hospital efficiency on one hand and effecting a greater reduction in expenditure <.n the other hand. Her pointed out -jhat 'there - should be 'scope for economy when it was realised that there were 45 hospital boards serving a ponulation of - only on© and a half millions.

■Replying to the debate, Mr Young said he did - nor believe in placing economy first. Efficiency - was the fir st consideration, and once a high standard of efficiency, was attained, .economy would automatically follow. The Bill was read a second time.