HOSPITAL SUBSIDIES.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16986, 8 November 1920, Page 6

HOSPITAL SUBSIDIES.

ENQUIRY DURING EE CESS. '.SPECIAL TO "THE PBE9S.") ( WELLINGTON, November <3.

Tho Minister of Health (the Hon. C. J. Parr), speaking on tho Hospitals Act Amendment Bill, in tho House afternoon, said, since 1909 the Hospital Boards had been working under a system of subsidy they had proved inequitable and unfair. The system provided in effect, that the higher the rates paid by tho people of a district, tho lower was tho subsidy.' Tho Department had tried to devise a new and improved scale of subsidies, but had found that tho preparation of a suitable schedule was exceedingly difficult, owing to varying local conditions, and tho need for giving somo special consideration to poor and sparsely populated districts. Ho had considered four schemes, and had embodied the best ono in the Bill, but this schedule, whilo an improvement of the present system, was not perfect, and he had welcomed a suggestion made by the Public Health Committee of the House, that the question should bo referred to a Commission of Enquiry during tho recess. The schedule and its accompanying clauses accordingly had been cut out of the Bill. Ho would prepare legislation for the next session, after ho had received the report of the Commission. He hoped that in the meantime some assistance might- be to the more necessitous boards to tide them over the intervening period. He realised that all tho boards were facing Eerious difficulties, particularly in making up leeway due to the war, and that somt of them found it difficult to carry oc at all. The Auckland Board was askinj for capital expenditure to the amount of about £100,000, and ho was bouno to admit that tho works mentioned bj tho board were necessary, but tho provision of so very large a,sum of money was not an easy matter. The Bill wa? proposing to relievo the situation to some extent by granting the boards power to borrow money under proper conditions. The Bill went through Committee, without amendment, and was read ;i third time, and passed.