HOSPITAL TREATMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 January 1922, Page 4

HOSPITAL TREATMENT.

CEtARGES FOR CHILDREN. APPLICATION BY FRIENDLY SOCIETIES. The proposal that the charges made for hospital treatment to children through the Friendly Societies’ Association should be reduced from 6/6 to 5/was discussed at the monthly meeting of the Taranaki, Hospital Board yesterday. The question was brought, before a previous meeting by Mr. H. R. Cattley on behalf of the Friendly Societies. As there were three absentees, the chairman (Mr. M. Fraser) urged that the matter should be deferred for a full meeting. “The time has come,” he said, “when we must take a serious view of the position we are in. consequently any question which bears on the finances of the hospital must be taken v.'ith extreme care. “Every bed cost Us to maintain, and he thought a committee of the whole board should deal with any question of reduction in a careful way. Though he was not going back on his’ former statement when he said he was inclined to agree with Mr. Cattley. it was a-question whether the board was justified in allowing friendly societies (many of whose members were holding good positions)' to ‘be charged 6/6 when the cost to the board was Ils. Mr. -E. R. Gilmour thought the whole position of the board should be considered. and, while endorsing the chairman’s remarks, he felt that they were not doing what, they ought to as a board. If they collected money and did not spend it rightly they were generous in another direction. Mr. S. Vickers was inclined to support Mr. Cattley’s proposal. He remarked that it was unfortunate that the cost per bed had gone up. but he thought there was every reason to believe that prices would be coming down. The board agreed to defer discussion till there was 1 a full attendance.