HOSPITAL FINANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 291, 9 December 1931, Page 8

HOSPITAL FINANCE.

LIKELY DEFICIT, £6Q,000. . OUTDOOB BELIEF THE CAUSE. SAVINGS-MADE ELSEWHERE. "Extravagant statements have been made in reference to the finances of the Auckland Hospital Board which are not warranted," said Mr. E. H. Potter, a member of the board this morning. Mr. Potter said he had gone to considerable trouble to ascertain the exact figures and these disclosed that the estimated deficiency at the end of the financial year would be £60,877, made up as follows: — . Outdoor relief, £36,572. Sanatoria, £3479. Medical dispensary and T.B. dispensary, £600. Hospital, infirmary and sundry -items, £20,226. " :yH "It will be seen that the largest item is for outdoor relief," said Mr. Potter, '"'and the public is fully aware, without comment from me, what the policy of the board has been in reference to the distress that has been so widespread in recent times. We estimate that by the end of the financial year in March next we will have expended £91,852 on this department' of our activities, while the amount) provided on the estimates at the'beginning of the year was £51,200. The actual expenditure last year was £17,70(5, so that we estimate to epend £24,146 more than last year. Forced to Reduce Estimates. "Although hospital, iniirmary and Mi.udi.--y >tems reveaj fcfiafc approximately £;iQ,QOQ more h required than was estimiuted^. the deficiency was anticipated, as the hospital department forced the lK«u:(i to budget for an. amount far beThe present estimated amount i& still £14,152 below the *jxpcwlitui-e of Jat*t year, eliow■iuj,' JJiftt tlie bojtr.d has effected consider,i!)lit mmnw i JI everything with the ex-w-jytioji of rfiiuif. "Til in yen I' Joi-iii iuitliuriUrh , levies; ftfipi I'wliKi'd iiy £;U),<).')i, ,(']it.uiliji,ff a re-' tfiuil'in K ii> '.(Uiveyumeixii r.nh*'u\y of $kis3M. in,!kinv ;i iofyl induction in ivUmttt nt .il',}i)Ml W'dh MMJW added /!'•• t|ii» ftrfC.'im.'ii.i'ri , irici-t'fi'.-.i'd ospendlture <u iifUrfflrir rv-lii'f i'.hr ftjniViv jir«! hrm'shf. tqi- to JtVfi/KJtJ. from .fcliai,

amount the estimated savings on hospital- and infirmary expenditure, - the estimated deficiency, as previously stated, is £60,877." Cost of Drugs. Mr. Potter said the reduction in levies was made for a specific purpose —to relieve the ratepayers—but he had seen no evidence of that except in one or two isolated instances. Before the "end of the financial year the board hoped to be able to record further economies. Reference had been made to the dispensary and the high cost of drugs. The position was. that the board was supplied with prescriptions at a contract price— a very low one—and the amount charged for a prescription was not altered on account of the drug used. INCREASED BEVY ? BOARD ■ MEMBER OPPOSED. . (From Our Own Correspondent.) TUAKAU, Tuesday. A statement that he would oppose any increase in the hospital levy on local bodies, as hinted by Mr. W. Wallace, chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board, was made by-Mr.'G. T. Parvin, a member of the Doard, when addressing the Tuakau Town Board last evening. Mr. Parvin pointed out that the Government was advancing on loan to the hospital boards £75,000, of which it was expected the Auckland board would receive £35,000 or £40,000. The members, he felt sure, would be opposed to repayment of the advance, and .would ask that it be made a grant. In the next four years loans amounting to approximately £250,000 would be maturing, and ratepayers could anticipate a reduction in the amount of the levy. The board decided to enter a protest to tho Government against hospital outdoor relief generally, and unemployment relief particularly, being made a charge against ratepayers instead of against tlio Government. , ~ : .