HOSPITAL FINANCE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 51, Issue 135, 20 March 1931, Page 6

HOSPITAL FINANCE

FARMERS’ UNION VIEWS.

A LIVELY DISCUSSION. SALARIES REDUCTION QUESTION. EQUALITY OF THE BURDEN. Ashburton Hospital finance formed the subject of a lively discussion at the monthly meeting of the Mid-Canterburv Executive of the Farmers’ Union this afternoon.

Mr F. G. Evans referred to Hospital matters, and said lie had no thought to raise contentious discussion. The matter of wages and salaries had been discussed at the last meeting of the Hospital Board, and ‘ the executive might passi a motion, that would' help out the Board. Ho disassociated himself from any letters that had appeared in “The Guardian,” though he had fheen accused of writing at least one of them. Hie Government had advocated reductions in salaries, apd the executive might give a lead, as the farmers mainly found the money for the Hospital. A sum of over ,£49,000 liad been contributed to the Board in the last five years by the County Council''. That was a huge sum. In 1929-30 £9742 10s lid l had been given, and how there was £8941 12s 7d a’s this year’s contribution. There was a slight and encouraging reduction, and lie hoped they would continue to fall. For a population of 18,000 this was an amazing figure. As for salaries reductions, one member moved for 10 per cent, and another for 20 per cent. Mr Evans moved: That the executive urge the Board to carry out the proposal of the 10 per cent, reduction, believing that this would meet the hearty support -of the ratepayers. This would be in line with what was being done throughout. Mr W. T. Lill: You are wrong. Mr Evans: You are probably referring to the Timaru Hospital. That is bigger than ours. Mr Lill: No, it is not. Mr Evans: Yes, and the salaries at Ashburton are higher than most others. « Mr Evans added that it was not a big thing, this 10 per cent, reduction!, and there should he no quibble about it He did not wish to hurt the feelings of any of the three Board mem-' hers present. It seemed that most of the ratepayers’ representatives were following the line of least resistance. They sat in a nice room, beautifully carpeted and thought in thousands instead of in pence. They all knew the position of the farmers, struggling to make a Jiving—a reduction of 110 per cent, rather than a 1.0 per cent, cut. No one would be hurt by, the cut proposed, and lie thought those affected should say: “Well, here we are, let us take it. Think of the struggling ratepayers.” The County Council had reduced salaries and voted £ll4 to the Progress League. Mr Lill: You are wrongly informed. Mr J. Carr: It is on tlie estimates but not passed yet. Air Evans said that the members of the local bodies were on too many boards. They had t.oo many) irons in the fire. They, walked from the Council to the Power Board, and then to the Hospital Board, and fought each other.

A voice: Do they walk cr do they go in cars?

Mr A. Bruce: At the expense of the ratepayers Mr Evans said that wages and salaries on t-lie Ashburton local bodies were far too high, t The motion was seconded by Mr H. Brown. Mr A. Horsey said the trend of Mr Evans’s speech seemed to point to the fact that he knew something about the letters in tlie paper- Tlie 10 per cent, reduction would mean s!{d per £IOOO in the valuation. He declared that he would not sacrifice efficiency at the expense of the salaries. There was a highly paid Matron, the third in New Zealand, but she saved much more than her salary each year. The Superintendent received £IOOO, and lie challenged anyone to find a bettor man in New Zealand. Mr Evans: What else does lie get? Mr Horsey said lie got a free house and that was all. He could go out of the Hospital and earn three times his present salary at any time. (Proceeding.)