HOSPITAL EXPENDITURE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5173, 2 September 1927, Page 3

HOSPITAL EXPENDITURE.

TRIMMING THE ESTIMATES.

INTERESTING REFERENCES.

Interesting references to the hospital expenditure are made by the Di-rector-General of Health (Dr. T. H. A. Valintine) in his annual report to Parliament.

“During the "past year,” said Dr. Valintine, “I have been urging on hospital boards the need for economy, especially in capital expenditure, and in one way or another I have been able to put off expenditure on new buildings to the extent of some *£250,000. At first sight it was disappointing, therefore to notice in our hospital estimates that though there is a decrease in capital requirements, yet the total requirements of hospital boards show an increase, and the resulting subsidy has increased by some £50,0'00 ; but reflection shows that that expenditure was, for sums to which the department had been committed for the last two or three years, which commitment was principally due to the capital expenditure in our four chief hospitals. Next year’s estimates should show a marked reduction in capital expenditure. During the year plans were approved for the erection of addition or alteration to public hospital buildings estimated to cost £183,885, being a decrease of £341,356 on the previous year.”