INCREASED LEVIES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3741, 14 January 1928, Page 2

INCREASED LEVIES.

PROTEST FROM LOCAL BODY. MISINFORMED OF POSITION. “As regards expenditure,” stated Mr A. J. Phillipps, managing secretary of the Palmerston North Hospital, in reporting to the monthly meeting on Thursday afternoon of the Hospital Board oh finance, “it will be noticed that, for the nine months ended on December 31st, the hospital maintenance expenditure amounted to £20,794, as against £17,593 for the corresponding period last year. The average number of occupied beds for the period quoted in 1926 was 126, whereas the average for the past nine months was 164, the cost per occupied bed being £139 for the nine months quoted for 1926 and £126 for the nine months quoted for 1927. Thus it will be seen that the increase in expenditure can be accounted for solely by --the increase in numbers, and ,that the expenditure is not increasing anything like proportionately to the increase in numbers.

“As regards our position at the end of this financial year, I estimate that we will finish the year abount £I,OOO overdrawn in our maintenance account. Every en'deavour is now being made to collect patients’ fees. November was a particularly good month, while December was not quite so good. We should exceed the estimate for patients’ fees by about £SOO, and our maintenance expenditure was probably be exceeded on all items by about £1,500.”

From the Manawatu County Council the Board received a copy of a resolution viewing with alarm the statement .recently made by the chairman of the Board that, in all probability, it would be necessary to increase the amount of contributions levied on local bodies for the next financial year. In the writer’s opinion, the burden of rates collected from counties for hospital purposes was already extremely heavy in proportion to the population Jiving within their areas, and anv increase would be a serious matter for the country ratepayers. “I think that the Manawatu County is getting off very well,” stated Mr J. K. Hornblow on the reading of the letter.

Mr G. A. Monk: Members of local bodies are under a great deal of misapprehension ,as to the amounts that are collected from various quarters and the way the sums are determined. I think that the Board would be well advised 'to instruct the managing secretary to prepare a circular letter setting out how our revenue is derived. Many local, bodies don’t realise what a low subsidy we are getting. We do our best to keep down expenses, and, while it is easy for local bodies to protest against a rise, they don’t tell us how to keep expenses down. They are perhaps entitled to some explanation, but I think they should be told that it is not necessary to make a protest to this Board; they should make their representations direct to the Health Department. Legislation is responsible for our position. ,We endeavour to administer the hospital as economically as possible, but have no control over other factors that govern revenue.

Mi-' Hornhlow: The local bodies never seem to show us howto keep down expenses. Mi- 0. McElroy said that his county (Oroua) had no complaint with the management, but thought that the subsidy was too small. “There- is a legitimate grievance in connection with the Act,” stated the chairman, Sir Jas. Wilson, “bult we have to take it as it is. The •bounties have a grievance, and it should be remedied. However, the Government and the Health Department take other views and we have to put up with them. I felt it was due to me to let local bodies know that, owing to the increased number of occupied l ' beds, the levies would have to go up, but it is proof of our economical administration that we have reduced the cost per bed from £139 to £126. In other years we have sent out circulars, but the local bodies don’t read them too well, I am afraid.”

Mr F. J. Rider: We must press every point that we can. The Board’s levy, the Chairman pointed out, was the second lowest in New Zealand, and that determined the amount of the subsidy that was obtained. Mr Hornblow: If we were to increase our levy, we would get an increased subsidy.

Following a further biief discussion, the Secretary was instructed to send out a circular setting out the position.—Standard.