HOSPITAL REQUISITES.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 January 1917, Page 3

HOSPITAL REQUISITES.

CENTRAL PURCHASING PLAN. The proposal discussed at the Hospital Conference that hospital requisites be supplied by the State from a central depot met with strong opposition at yesterday's meeting of the Taranaki Hospital Board. M.\ E. Maxwell said centralisation voi'.ld practically mean bringing the hospital i)op.:d3 under the thumb of the '.Minister. The proposal required the payment fo» the goods with the order. If tii<! goods were not wp to standard the uoard conceited had no recourse, but to accept delivery. The only advantage urged was economy, and the speaker qseutioned whether 'nnyt-'-'nf, would really be saved under the scheme There v-ere .nany reasons why the various boards, should do theii own Juying. "What s.uittd one medical superintendent did" not suit another. The State was too powerful, and boards should rc'ist the tendency to bind them in every way. The disadvantages of the proposal were tremendous, and far outweighed the apparent advantage in economy The proposal would cut out competition which would probably result ,in the reduction of the quality' of the goods. liij. A. K. Sykes: We will have to go into tltis matter very very carefully. It is questionable whether there are any advantages to be gained. The board is at present buying in the open market, and is doing its business on the very business terms. The chairman (Mr. F. C. Bellringer): i.cpies of the proposal will be typed out s.nd sent to all the members of the boara, and at the next meeting we will have an opportunity of discussing the whole position. The discussion then concluded.