HOSPITAL FEES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4937, 10 February 1926, Page 3

HOSPITAL FEES.

PAYMENT INSISTED UPON;

DISCUSSION BY THAMES' BOARD. At Monday’s, meeting of the Thames Hospital and Charitable Aid Board the question of payment of patients’ outstanding fees c for .treatment received at the institution was again a subject for discussion when nine expatients,, who had been pressed for payment of .fees for treatment, wrote stating their inability to pay and offering settlement of t\he amounts due in various ways, provided the board could extend the time allowed in which to make*payment. The chairman (Mr W. E. Hale) said that in cases where the board* had been put .to the expense of obtaining judgment a payment of £1 a week should be insisted on in liquidation of the debt. Mr W. C. Kennedy suggested that before the board exercised the Court order the debtor should be given an opportunity of calling on the secretary and making some definite offer. If 'thits was not done, then he thought the board was quite justified in enforcing payment on the Court order. Mr Danby considered that 7s 6d a week was a reasonable amount to insist upon.

Mr G. Death agreed, and said that in cases where the board could get no satisfaction from the debtor the stipendiary magistrate should be asked to decide the merits, of the caise.