HOSPITALS AND CHARITABLE AID.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 253, 23 October 1909, Page 4

HOSPITALS AND CHARITABLE AID.

THE NEW BILL DISCUSSED. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. An interesting debate took place in the House of Representatives last night on the second reading of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Bill.

The Hon. G. Fowlds, in moving the second reading, said the bill had the approval of two inspectors-general of hospitals and had had the full consideration of a. conference of those bodies which had had the administration of the Act. j He would have liked to go even further in the way of amalgamating districts, and would have liked to have delayed another year before introducing this-bill, but the subject was such a vexed one that it was doubtful whether that would have been advisable. While the population of the Dominion had not quite doubled, the expenditure had more than trebled. The bill aimed at unity of control and administration, and doing away with overlapping and divided authority. It also proposed to alter the system of election, the existing system of nomination not having proved quite satisfactory. The system of election was inexpensive. The old system of having one board responsible for raising the funds while another was responsible for their distribution, was an uni satisfactory and wasteful one. The number of boards would be reduced by the Act, but the number of districts had not been, reduced as completely as might possibly be desired. The number had been reduced, however, from 36 to 32. He felt that the bill would receive the support of the House, and that no parochial feeling would enter into the debate. (Hear, hear.)

The Leader of the Opposition (Mr W. F.'Massey) said he thought it quite right that the two departments of hospitals and charitable aid should be under control' of one board. That system had been in vogue in Auckland for some time past, and had worked very satisfactorily. Tn the election of board members he was inclined ti> think the- Parliamentary franchise might be introduced if the whole of the cost of these departments was placed upon the consolidated funds. He urged the desirability of allowing nurses to qualify as trained pharmacists, and he trusted that after the bill had passed through committee it would prove a usej ful piece of legislation.

The debate continued two hours after .midnight, and the second reading "was then carried on the voices.