RELIEF PAYMENTS CUT

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 393, 29 June 1928, Page 13

RELIEF PAYMENTS CUT

FOURTH edition

WELLINGTON HOSPITAL DECISION financial difficulties Press Asuociation. WELLINGTON, To-day. Thß Wellington Hospital Board has ,‘ nd h necessary to reduce the t 0 f relief afforded gratuitously, Ifrtlcularly for single men and for >nt The latter w *ll be reduced to '"The "chairman said that the board ,„ u ia soon be experiencing a serious hortage of money unless the expenditure for the remainder of the year ™- er e curtailed. Increases in stall and salaries were riven as one cause. One member suggested that hospital charges should be reviewed. NO EXTRAVAGANCE REPLY to allegations Press Association. WELLINGTON, To-day. Mr. C. M. Luke, chairman of the Hospital Board, in replying to the charges of extravagant administration, pointed out that unforseen expenditure had been thrown upon the board. Tho increase in the Social Welfare Department alone was £10,14;, and over this the board had no control. Provision for the unemployed should not be looked upon as part of the regular expenditure. They had to make provision for increased demands on the hospital resources as the number of occupied heds last year was 561 and now was SST, with a long waiting list. On© member said the hoard was giving services to people who could well afford to pay for private treatment but others considered the unemployment principally responsible for the drain of money.