HOSPITAL EXPENDITURE.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 290, 30 May 1929, Page 6

HOSPITAL EXPENDITURE.

IS IT EXCESSIVE? Matamata Discussion. A discussion on hospital .finance administration, etc., was raised at the May meeting' of the Matamata County Council on Wednesday, when the Waikato Hospital Board’s letter relative to levy of £2542 3s 8d due by the council to the board was read. In reply to a question, the clerk (Mr. Barton) stated that the amount of levies received by the board was £34,776.

The chairman (Cr. Anderson) stated that the Counties’ Association

had had a big fight for an alteration in the system operating to try and get it on half the capital value and half population basis, but the saving did not pan out as large as expected. It was in the towns where they had bad debts and charitable aid.

Cr. Dee interjected that the latter was probably due to unemployment. Continuing, the chairman agreed that this was probably so, for the unemployed always flocked into the towns. Private hospitals could not hope to compete with public hospitals. Cr. Wilson gave it as his opinion that the cost was always on the -country. Cr. Bruce believed that the fine buildings—the nature of which he characterised as being fit for a king to live in—together with the fact that there was one nurse to every two patients, had something to do with the heavy cost to contributing bodies. The chairman agreed that if they continued improving the hbspitals the levies would have to be raised. Cr. Dee was of the opinion that people would be foolish to go into private hospitals if they got the attention it was said that they got in public hospitals. At this stage it was stated that the Waikato Hospital had an average number of 230 patients per day, whilst the staff numbered over 100. That something was wrong somewhere was the opinion of Cr. Bruce. When in addition to the levies the board received a Government subsidy of 15s 2d and £3 3s a week from the patients. If private hospitals were run on the same lines they could not carry on. The chairman referred to the fact that the hospital boards had agreements with the friendly societies, who guaranteed payment of half fees.