HOSPITAL DEFICIT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 166, 16 July 1931, Page 8

HOSPITAL DEFICIT.

POSITION IN WELLINGTON.

RELIEF OF UNEMPLOYMENT.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, Wednesday.

The Wellington Hospital Board held a special meeting to-day to consider its financial position. Mainly owing to the mounting cost of unemployment relief there will be a considerable deficit at the end.,of. the financial year. The chairman, Mrf|FivfCastle, announced that probably by thjefend of September the boarct would be unable to finance any further expenditure'. on unemployment relief. If the present.'rate of expenditure and receipts continued' the .deficiency' at the end of March next would be £31,000.

The' following resolution, submitted by the general committee, was considered: "That the committee -recommends the board to agree to a scheme being put forward .to the Government as a' matter for urgent attention with the object of ;raising money to meet the probable hospital deficiency,'the scheme to be (1) a lottery, or (2) motor taxation, or both, >or any other scheme considered advisable after consultation with the Prime Minister /and the Minister of Health by a sub-cominittee."

This motion and an amendment in similar terms were defeated. A committee was appointed to wait on the Prime . Minister and the Minister of Health to place the board's financial position .before them.