PALMERSTON HOSPITAL BOARD

Shannon News, 23 August 1929, Page 4

PALMERSTON HOSPITAL BOARD

PATIENTS AND TAXATION. BOARD DISCUSSES MAORI. The meeting of the Palmerston Nortk Hospital Board was held on Monday. Maori Patients. The Bay of. Plenty and Waikato Hospital Boards wrote suggesting a special meeting of boards interested in the question of medical and nursing treatment of Maoris. The e.haiiman reported that he had informed the two boards that he liioug/it the matter was one which should be dealt with by the Hospital Association -*s executive. As far as the Palmerston. North Board was concerned, it was only affected by the Otaki hospital.

iir. Nash: 1 agree. What is tho use of a Hospital Association in New Zealand if it can't deal with a matter like this.

The chairman intimated that the Health Department already secured £15,000 from the Native .Affairs Department towards the cost of treating Maoris and a portion. of that money should be available for boards in payment of treatment given natives. Perhaps members of Parliament might be persuaded to .press for oven further relief from the Department than was now given.

Mr. G. A. Monk was of opinion that the Board should be represented at the conference. There might be more in the matter than met the eye. There was no doubt that at the conference there would be first hand information. The chairman stated.that the M'aori patient question had been brought before the Hospital Association on at ; least two occasions. It was decided not to send a delegate to the conferer.ee. Taxation. The Hospital Boards' Association forwarded a report upon .the question of taxation for hospital purposes discussed (with the view of arriving at a means of apportioning the burden more equitably between town and country t ratepayers in proportion to the population served. "It will hit the towns pretty solidly if this goes on," stated Mr. Nash. •' They ask for more equitable taxation. It will be very serious for the towns and yet the hospitals have to be located -somewhere. I- don't think, it will go through Parliament for one moment. " . . .

Mr. Monk: What scheme is 'this. We had a conference and decided to ask for an increased subsidy. The chairman: This scheme has been discussed by the Hospital Association executive and recommendations have been brought down. On the suggestion of Mr. Hansford a copy of the proposals is to .be forwarded each member of -the Board for perusal and the matter will be reintroduced at some future meeting if requested

Otaki HospitaJ; The Director-General of Health forwarded the conditions under which the Department is willing to occupy the farm property attached to 'the Otaki hospital.—The Board confirmed the conditions, the chairman stating- that it -was satisfactory to know that matters at Otaki hospital were now running smoothly.