HOSPITAL LEVY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 April 1943, Page 3

HOSPITAL LEVY

WELLINGTON ESTIMATES GREATER PAYMENTS URGED. FROM SOCIAL SECURITY FUND Assuming that the Government will increase social security payments from 6s to 9s a day for each patient, the Wellington Hospital Board, at its meeting yesterday, estimated its net expenditure for the year ending March 31, 1944, at £395.700. Of this sum, it estimates, £205,927 will be received by subsidy from the Consolidated Fund, leaving £189,772 to be found by the contributory local bodies. If. however, the Government does not increase social security payments, the amounts required from the Consolidated Fund and the local bodies will each be greater by about £40,0001 Mr F. Castle (chairman) said that the Wellington Hospital Board's estimates had been framed on the assumption that payment from the Social Security Fund would be increased from 6s to 9s a day for each patient. “If the Government is not prepared to accept our estimates on this assumption,” said Mr F. Castle, “it will have to return them and we will be forced to increase the amounts of our levy and subsidy by approximately £40,000 each. We are perhaps putting a pistol at the heads of the Government, but I believe that the Wellington board, and other boards, too, have a just claim for an increase in Social Security payments.” Several members urged greater social security payments towards the upkeep of hospitals. “The action of the board is ill-advis-ed and will not assist those who are anxious to find a solution of this difficult question of hospital rating,”, said the Minister of Health, Mi’ Nordmeyer, when the Wellington Hospital Board’s resolution was referred to him last evening. “I have to approve the estimates of all boards,” said the Minister. ‘The Wellington board is aware of this. The estimates will be referred back to the board for amendment. It is interesting to note the amount collected per patient by the Wellington board before the introduction of social security was 2s 2d a day.”