HOSPITAL MATTERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 January 1921, Page 8

HOSPITAL MATTERS.

A COMMISSION OF INQUIRY. SUBSIDIES AND REPRESENTATION. During last session a new scale of hospital subsidies was placed before the 1 House of Representatives. The scale was not approved by a committee of the Ifouae, and the Minister of Health (Mr. Parr) undertook to set up a commission to consider not merely the subsidies but also the constitution of hospital boards and other matters. This commission, consisting of five members, has now been appointed. It consists of the following members: Mr. W. Downie Stewart, M.P. for Dunedin West, who will be chairman. Mr. A. D. McLeod, M.P. for Wairarapa, who has had considerable experience as a member of an important hospital board and as a member of contributing authorities. The Hon. TV. H. Triggs, M.L.C., of Christchurch, who is a member of the Board of Health. Dr 11. T. D. Acland, of Christchurch, who has wide knowledge of hospital administration and of the hospital requirements of the community as a whole. Mr. George Shirtcliffe, of Wellington, who will bring the experience of a business career to the deliberations of the commission. The Minister informed a Dominion reporter tha* the order of reference handed to the commission includes the fees to be charged patients using the public hospitals, the extent and basis of Government contributions towards the maintenance of hospitals, the extent of the Government’s subsidies on voluntary contributions, the methods of election of hospital boards, and the desirability or otherwise of providing for Government representation on boards by nfeans of nominated members. When the matter was before the House of Representatives the Minister expressed an opinion that as the Government contributed half the cost of the maintenance of the hospitals, it ought to have some direct reqa the controlling boards.