HOSPITAL ECONOMY

Wairarapa Age, 26 February 1927, Page 5

HOSPITAL ECONOMY

APPLICATION FOR SUBSIDY HELD OVER.

ERECTION OF OPERATING BLOCK. DR. VALINTINE INSISTS ON DELAY. In support of his statements on his two recent visits to Masterton, the Director General of Health (Dr. Valintine) has reiterated his intention to veto any proposed expenditure by hospital boards in the development of building programmes, and has declined to recommend the Minister to sanction the erection of an operating block at the Masterton Hospital from the funds of the Beetham bequest and subsidy. The Director General recently asked the Wairarapa Hospital Board to let him know the purposes to which it was intended to apply the Beetham bequest of £2OOO. Dr. Valintine asked for this information in order that he might make a recommendation to the Minister regarding the subsidy now being

claimed on the bequest. Though the hoard had been advised by Dr. VaJantine to improvise wherever possible, it wrfs decided to adhere to the previous decision to apply the money to the erection of a new operating theatre. A further letter was then received from Dr. Valintine stating that he had given the board’s proposal careful consideration, but could not in the meantime recommend the Minister tb give his consent to such expenditure. It was decided yesterday to hold the matter over until the estimates for the ensuing year are under consideration.