HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 February 1918, Page 6

HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATION.

DISCUSSION BY KG MONT COUNTY COUNCIL. Some discussion mi the question of hospital administration (.took place at the meeting of the Kyinont County Cons cil on Tuesday, when the appointment of a successor to the Rev. R,. I>. Gosuell was uuder consideration- The. chairman ((Jr. W. li. Wright), who stood for election at the last election of the Hoard, pointed out the pull the town had over the country. At present the Ommake Town District had a valuation of £118,000,' compared with £1,800,0110 for the rest of the County, or about Moth, whereas the Rev. Gosnell obtained 52 votes in the town and 03 in the country, or about 35 per cent. He himself obtained 120 votes in (lie county. He wished to unreservedly withdraw the statement he had made that fees for hospital treatment in arrears amounted to £SOOO, because lie had since aseertined that the amount was £IO,OOO. Cr. Sinclair aßked how the difficulty could be overcome. The chairman stated that when he stood for election he did not intend to do anything dreadful in connection with hospital affairs, mit only to see to the re-organisation of the finances, and it was on those grounds that he asked to be returned again.

Cr. Harvey asked whether it would not he advisable to have some one from the southern end appointed.

Cr. O'Brian stated that the only reason the chairman was not elected last time was because ratepayers did not want both representatives to come from the northern end. Opunake and Oeo Riding ratepayers expected one of the representatives to live in their district. Tie therefore mover! i];-t 1:- McNeill, who had had nine years' experience on other hospital boards should be appointed.

The chairman pointed out that Mr. Young was looked upon as belonging to Opuaakc. Cr. Cornish bore out Cr. O'Brien's remarks.

Cr- Green considered it was a poor principle to put one end against the other. They should pick out the most suitable man. Tlie chairman had sought election to the Board, whereas Cr. McNeill had not, and he moved that the chairman he appointed. This was seconded by Cr. Sinclair. Cr Harvey moved 'and Holder seconded that Cr. Cornish be appointed. The clcvktiere took the chair, and a show of hands gave two votes to each candidate. The clerk declined to take the responsibility of giving a eastin" vote, and, on a ballot being taken, the voting was Crs- McNeill 4, Wright 3, Cornish 2, the first-named being declared elected.

The chairman, in congratulating Cr. McNeill, expressed the hope that he would endeavor to have the finances placed on sound lines.

Cr. McNeiU thanked the council for the honor conferred upon him. He did not know what was the cause of the trouble at the hospital, but his experience was that it was one of the finest institutions of its kind in the Dominion. He did not say that lie would be able to revolutionise the finances of the Board, but he would do his best in the interests of the Board.

Cr. Green thought the Council's representatives should find out the cause of so much money being on the books. .Some patients received no accounts. His boy was in the hospital eighteen months and an account was never rendered until a few days after the hoy left the institution, when he received an account. ; also a notification lhat it would be subject to discount if paid within 14 days. What chance, he asked, would a laboring ba:i have of saving the discount! The chairman moved that the Council tender its thanks (o ex-C'r. Meßeynolds for having brought forward the matter of arrears while a member of the board. Seconded by Cr. Sinclair and carried.

Cr. Green asked whether the Council obtained a list of amounts owing by rodents within the county.

The clerk said they had never received such a list, nor could they insist on it. Tf such a statement was sent in confident to each local body, it would assigt the Bor.rd, as the members of the local bodies would know' more of the circum.stances of the people concerned than the officials in New Plymouth did.