HOSPITAL' BOARD OFFICERS

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25660, 24 November 1948, Page 3

HOSPITAL' BOARD OFFICERS

ujjiISTER’S NEW POWER OPPOSED

DISCUSSION in house fpA.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 23. Objection to the clause in tne Hos«tals Amendment BUI giving the (Mister cf Health power to supervise appointment or senior officers of jZffltai boards was expressed in the So -e of Representatives to-day by P. Aderman (Opposition, New tesiouth). He said that while the MOSitioii concurred with most of the nSes in the bill, it objected to the Sinister's seeking to take the power iijipoint away from boards. ■Mr Aiderman said it was not a sound -anient to say that the Minister Slid have such a power because the norernment provided most of the noney for hospital expenditure. The money was taken from people who bould have some say in its use. Tj the Minister was given the power ae asked there would be “atrociously” more mistakes made by her department than bv hospital boards, as welt „ more delays. There was -also the mssibility of log rolling. t'fh'e Minister of Health (Miss M. B. Howard'., moving the second reading J; the bill, said there had been in the oast cases where boards haa made mstakes in such appointments. "Mr W. T. Anderton .(Government, luckland Central) said the bill did not m far enough. The Government profiled 90 per cent, of the money which ran hospital boards. He had. had experience of a lot of professional lograiling for positions on hospital staffs and it was time the Minister took such power as she required. All hospital -cards should have a Government representative on them. Mrs G. H. Ross (Opposition, Hamilton) said she had never heard of a tare of log-rolling among medical men. Appointments were very carefully considered by hospital boards, which possessed local knowledge not available to people in Wellington. The bill pve the Minister powers which tended to reduce . hospital boards to rubber stamps.

Centralisation Feared Mr C. M. Bowden (Opposition, Karori) said the Government proposed to take from boards some of their functions. The bill would make it necessary for applications for even, one day’s leave to be referred to the Minister —a Minister who had shown little toleration and respect for hospital boards. “I think if she had her way she would abolish boards and centralise their functions in the department,” said Mr Bowden. The bill appeared to take the first step in that direction.

Miss Howard said the clause was Government poUcy and the Opposition could not be expected to agree with it lie Opposition could not say there would be more mistakes if the department was given greater control for such a system had not yet been tried cut. The department was only carrying out the Government’s policy as it would carry out the policy of any (Government in office. Senior appointments were, in fact, already referred to the Minister and there would be no greater delay. Miss "Howard. said that within the. last few days there had been an appointment which involved not political log-rolling but log-rolling of the other kind, and it did not .come off. Mr E. B. Corbett (Opposition, Egaont): They were not the right political colour.

Mr J. T. Watts (Opposition, St. Albans): I know something about that appointment.

Miss Howard: As far as I am concerned there has been no political log-rolling since I have been in this job.

She said that since, the Government had agreed to find an increased proportion of hospital board expenditure the sky had been the limit for some boards, and' Some control had to be exercised.