“CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM.”

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 51, Issue 132, 17 March 1931, Page 4

“CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM.”

Kir, —Certain statements in recent correspondence, capable of various interpretations, relative to Hospital matters, make it desirable that these statements should be examined from eyery point of view. . Recently,'\ the Auckland Hospital Board, in fairness to its ratepayers, went completely into its finances, and then frankly published the statement that every occupied bed in the hospital was run at a loss of 12s per day. I daresay, if all Hospital Boards were as candid, every public hospital in New Zealand would be. in a somewhat similar position. It certainly appears, that this would be the case in our local Hospital, where salaries paid are out of all proportion to the size of the institution. We are told, as a recommendation for our institution, tlvjt “the rich” are using it. Now, Sir, that is a very desirable state of affairs, providing that those people well able to pay for private treatment are paying into the general hospital funds a sum of money sufficient to cover all expenses in connection with their treatment. If, on the other hand, they use the institution at the fixed scale of fees, it is a very serious thing from the ratepayers’ point of view, to have to make up the deficiency that such abuse of the hospital creates. In the' past our County has been one of the wealthiest and certainly one of the most generous in New Zealand, and now that the Dominion is passing through this critical financial period, it is the duty of every citizen, and certainly, of every local hotly, to face the position honestly, and deal in hard facts and not piffling sentiment, and to try to curtail expenditure in every possible manner. We are informed that the secretary earns an abnormal salary, because of his ability to collect money. Sir, I take it that “the rich” people using the Institution do not require the secretary to collect their fees, so I conclude that the fees collected which justify the secretary’s abnormal salary with the Board' are extorted from the poor. I claim chat this Institution Is primarily for the poor, and that the ratepayers pav the huge sums they do, to enable the poor and all people to whom payment would ho a hardship, to use the Institution without any worry re cost. That, Sir, is the aim and object of our Hospital system, and the confidence of tliis County can only be restored, when we read that the''poor nrp availing themselves of the treatment available, and are happy and contented, and voluntary donations received from “the rich” to make good the deficit on their treatment (ns has been the case in the past which certain Board members now choose to ignore). Then and then only can this district congratulate itself on the administration of its institution and thorn topayor, once again hope for iclief from urululv hoavv hosnital taxation. FACE FACTS.