Manawatu Herald THURSDAY, MAY 24,1928. HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3796, 24 May 1928, Page 2

Manawatu Herald THURSDAY, MAY 24,1928. HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATION.

OR M. A. ELIOTT has been stirring 1 up quite a eoniniotion in connection with the administration of the, Palmerston North Hosptal Board. His principal charges are that ‘'in the opinion of the honorary medical staff and other responsible persons, the proposed expenditure to provide increased accommodation for patients is both wasteful and unnecessary,” He therefore moved a motion in the Palmerston Borough Council asking the Government to set up a commission to enquire into the whole position. The Council carried the resolution by six voles to three. Under the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act any contributing body has the right to apply for a commission if in its opinion the estimated expenditure of a Hospital Board is excessive, Before taking such a step, however, the contributing authority must be sure of its ground. It naturally follows, then, that Cr. Eliott and his Council have sufficient evidence to prosecute their case. Cr. Eliott stated that his charge was based on the opinion of the “honorary medical staff and many other responsible persons.” The honorary medical staff have lost no time in emphatically repudiating Cr, Eliott's statement. Mr. Wylie, the eminent surgeon, and a member of the honorary staff says:

“O. Eliott’s remarks wore <|uite unjustified and uncalled for and that the honorary stall’ had not as a body had any communication with air. Eliott. Mr. Eliott ought to be prepared to give the names of the four or live members of the stall* he refers to. Personally Mr. Wylie had not had any communication with Cr. Eliott, did not agree with Cr. Eliott’s opinion, and was of the opinion that the proposed expenditure was necessary.” Cr. Eliott must now fall back, upon the evidence of “the many other responsible persons” to justify his action. Is it possible that the Board, Director-General of Hospitals, and Minister who have had this subject under review for the past three years have been deluded by some idle faifcy? or may it be assumed that Cr. Eliott and the Palmerston N. Borough Council, alarmed at its own administration, which necessitates an additional £7154 by way of rates (£1179 of which is increased hospital levy) seeks to switch public attention from themselves to the Hospital Board? Whether the Minister sanctions a commission or not the charge of “wasteful and unnecessary expenditure” should he investigated, and the onus of proof is on Cr. Eliott.

There is just one other point which may be of interest to the contributing authorities and Cr. Eliott in particular: Owing to the failure of Iho Palmerston North Borough Council to provide a sufficient water supply at the hospital, the Board has been compelled to sanction a capital expenditure of £IOOO to provide a water tower not only to protect the buildings and patients in case of an outbreak of lire, and for domestic purposes, but also to flush its sewerage system!