PRIVATE HOSPITAL WARDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 223, 20 September 1929, Page 8

PRIVATE HOSPITAL WARDS.

NOT GOVERNMENT POLICY. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. Many topics concerning public hospitals were discussed in the House this evening when the Minister of Health, the Hon. A. J. Stallworthv, moved the second reading of the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Amendment Bill. He said it comprised an agreement reached between the Wairau Hospital Board and the Picton Hospital Board, and was designed to merge the two districts which these boards served into one district, to be called the Marlborough hospital district.

A long discussion took place on the [question of private wards in hospitals, most of the 'speakers opposing the idea. | Replying to Mr. M. J. Savage (Auckland West), the Minister said lie had j simply stated the pros and cons of the ! different aspects of the situation. He had not made a definite statement either on behalf of himself or on behalf of the Government. He was completely opposed to any differential treatment for rich and poor. While the richer classes were legally entitled to the same-rights for admission to public hospitals as other classes, actually they did not receive the same consideration, as in cases in which there was pressure 011 the accommodation the poorer people received preference. He was satisfied the hospital system in New Zealand was second to none. The bill was read a second time.