HOSPITAL SALARIES

Otago Witness, Issue 4028, 26 May 1931, Page 69

HOSPITAL SALARIES

A DEPARTMENTAL MANDATE GISBORNE, May 21. At last month’s meeting of the Cook Hospital Board the managing secretary reported that during the past year savings in expenditure to a total amount of £6192 had been made as compared with the previous 12 months. Later in that meeting when a discussion took place on salary cuts in the staff it was decided that in view of the saving of over £6OOO during the year no reduction be made. When the board met to-day a letter was received from the Department of Health expressing pleasure at the reduction in maintenance, but intimating that unless the board made a 10 per cent, cut in salaries approval of the current year’s estimates would be withheld. In the course of the discussion members strongly criticised the dictatorial attitude of the department, and one member suggested that if the department withheld the subsidy it would be a perfectly fair rejoinder for the members to resign and tell the department to run the hospital itself. Mr Coleman, the Mayor of Gisborne, said that at the Hospital Boards’ Conference it was agreed that the question of reductions should be left to the individual boards. Eventually notice of motion was given by a member that at next meeting it be moved that the resolution deciding that there should be no cut in salaries be rescinded.