HOSPITALS CONTROL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 221, 11 June 1908, Page 4

HOSPITALS CONTROL.

■ CONFERENCE OF DELEGATES. CONSTITUTION OF THE BOARDS. TOWERS OF THE GOVERNMENT. : ? The .Conforonceon Hospitals -. and Cliarit- ••'• ,bio. Aid resumed at 10 a.m. yesterday, intho Sydnoy Street Schoolroom, Dn T. H. A. v Vahntmo, Inspector-General of Hospitals, .presiding. •' ; '.-'v. ; ' ■ Tho Chairman said the next business was the method' of appointment, of rCproseuta- .: i -.favor on- tho Hospital and Charitablo Aid • Boards.: Tho cinferenco had decided on the • ' .A previous day that olection should bo by tho ■ : local bodies as at present, instead of by popul '.. '•''' lar.voto, and he thought it should follow tliat tho. appointment of members to repre- ' 6ont tho different local'bodies should con- : ... tinuo on tho present basis. This had given satisfaction-for tho last 23 years. It was s : a'. system of-iappointment • adjusted - accord'ing to the.contributions of tho different local and tho populations, of their -districts y- by'.means of an actuarial calculation. : Mr. J.,G. Wilson (Pahnerston North Hos-i-i v pial and' Charitablo jAid Board) moved ; : • "That the present basis of apportion- r. " 'inient of,representation ; ,jbe continued.-": if i This was seconded by Mr. Quinn (Hawera) and carried.'' * CONTINUITY OF OFFICE. ■ ■ ■ The. Chairman next introduced tho ques-- • tion of continuity of offico of members. and • v. "chairmen of, hospital. and ; charitablo. aid : boards. The present.-system of .election -for' one yoar only was having a bad effect on ,tho,| 'administration. . Ho ; hoped the-conferenco i ■ -would affirm the .principle of- a term for the hoards ana the chairmen. ;'i It was resolved:— • . I ' . "That continuity of office, bo;-Secured M for threo years." / SEPARATE INSTITUTIONS. Mr..Webb.(Northern Wairoa) moved:— wyr-i';; • .' "That the present system of separate i j'-ii institutions as noiVj in force baapproved . aiid" l continued, in cases' in which'tho . .' : ■' ; -••', majority-of'the- contributing authorities ;! v v':-.j ■ desire it." ■■ • •

; The. speaker declared that Sir Julius Vo-> : gel's expectations in-; regard :to:/ separate- 111- ■ ! . stitutions had been realised in the case of the,Wairoa'.Hospital,-which;was increasingly- - , ■ supported by private contributions. Iho North Auckland Hospital Board was representcd on the governing ' tal. -.- -:V ; !'V I i ' .v. 5. -Mr. ■:.W.-.'-H.': Cooper & (Samaritan" .Homo Trust«M,; ; Chris'tchurch) "Seconded tho mo- ' j.^i'/'-^-ftion.-.^''' 1 -*; '■ ■" : w : . Mr.- Fraser (North Benevolent/ Sor". . cioty)' said that--the; two:. ■ tions in, his; 'districts' ' 'efficiently), Imanagedi^hXiThe^mmbMS^of'^a; '. f. larger district board-could not have the same St V:cfv;;intimatß-knowledge, !'• • Mr. B. P. Manhire (North Canterbury t!.".-: - Charitable !Aid- Board; moved as ail amend- ; ." ..- ~ ••>' '•• ' •V'.'.V ii--'.-'. 1 .--.v -v 2 i;;; "That;-this>;cqnferen'co''as ,;of. opinion H-v-.w that'the-'.-boards which find tho money. ij - ' . for. charitable aid should liavo ontiro control." , - Rev.J. P. Kempthomo (St. Androw's Orjhanage, Nelson) said that the institution he : ■ : represented was supported entirely by voluu- .:>■■ tary contributions, and tho Government sUb- ' : ' sidy of 245.-in tho £. It took' children at R' a lower rate than tho Charitable- Aid-Board .. could aboard them out. v TheJ Chairman pointed out that such an ini' : Btitutiqn .fr'ould not be affected by tho* Bill; WELLINGTON INSTITUTIONS. j ■ . : Mr.- J. P. Luko ; (Wellington . Hospital i ' Board) said the general opinion in AVelling--1 ton was in ,favour of, abolishing; the divided, ; control of.vt-h'e, Wellington . Hospital Board 1 and Wellington Hospital /Trustee's. ''The Board'handed oyer £/OQO a year to tho Trus-. tees, and had only one representative, on the l&tter body. He felt, sure the Rev. Mr. '' ' Evans, chairman of the Benevolent. Institu- . tion, would agree that the sooner, tho separKiS.v ? te management of that institution was abolished th« better. _ He had nothing to say , against those: engaged in the administration,. ! T:as the bodies concerned--were mostly;com-:i posed; of able meri. " Mr. R. C. Kirk/(Wellington and-Wairarapa : . Charitable Aid Board) agreed wi.tli, the last speaker. The district.boards'h&ve at'present had practically no control and nothing to do but make estimates. The District Hospital : Board had no representative on the TrusHe' thought the 1 whole of the main hospitals should bo under the' control of I the District Boards, but that those bodies should have the power to appoint outsiders- ■ j'"... to assist.,(the committees;of certain'institu;: !■ tions;'Tha Hon. C. M. Luke (Wellington Hospital iv: .; - Trustees) said that : tho-good;management of x the Wellington' Hospital ,wa's 'proverbial.-. -Hb invited-tho delegates ,to_Tisifc it and seo' for themselves. '• If administered by a Loard which had many other'interests, ..such an in- : : stitution would bo- liable to .suffer. , !'

Mr. P. G.'Bolton (Wellington Hospital i < - Trustees) apprcived of 'the'-'"principle- of the Bill, which provided for direct'control ,of'in\'V ' j stitutionsby committees responsible to the .1 : district boards. Only, one member of the committee would be a member also of the ■ •• • board. V." ' ' r Mr. J. M'R. Galloway and Mr. W.. T. Talboys (Otago Benevolent Institution) sup- ' ported the abolition of separate management. V . ■ Rov. W. A. Evnns (Wellington Benevolent ! Sy..-Trustees)' submitted that if all the seiparato % institutions in schedule 2 of the Bill. (those "not :assisted: out' of rates)■ were left onfcjof consideration-the conference 'was in-favour : I of abolishing the separate control- of- the -\!;Y v'-:. others. It would be in tho. interests of econotny to have tho separate institutions-moro j? closely connected 'with the charitable' aid "- boards,- and he was 'strongly in favour of t . - the proposed abolition of separate control. Mr. M. G. Power: (Waihi) ) while_agreeing that separate' control in the cities' was un- ' > desirable, contended'that it was . required -in .■■ country districts. ■ ? 1 Mr. G. T._ London (Wellington 'Hospital Trustees) pointed out that the..Wellington ! ff i; Hospital Trustees 'included representatives I 'of • !■ ••••, soveral boroughs, and were more ropresenta- | i' •••• tire .of -the contributors than':>sthe>'(District . iv Board. The samo applied to, tho Benevolent 1 " Trustees, and the fact influenced tUe 'gencr- ! 'osity of subscribers. Tho work -of tho Hos- =■ pital Trustees was so great that it should not be added to tho work of the District. ; '■ Board.'.' ~ . . .':Mr.' G. Payling (North .Canterbury Hos-' : ■ pital Board) said that at Christchurch. ihoy '),-. s seemed .to l>e satisfied to have'.'the main;hospital managed by the District Board, :as.:it was at present. Mr. L. J. Bagnall (Auckland) and other 5 .. .'speakers enlarged upon tho expenso caused . by divided administration.' "" INSP ECTOR';;'GEM ER AL'S VIE visT""" ' The Chairman said that hq had. not in-JV-;Vi ' tended anything in . his opening- speech to : ? ' be understood as unfavourable..criticism of I f.he/Management of the separate institutions. •'■ They were ■ oxcellej-itly-managed, generally J speaking. It was a, question of system, ,and . : .jt was not right that money should" l)o; sup- '■■■ plied by one body and spent ;by another; Sir . Julius- Vogel's anticipation was that all tho .geparate institutions , would ultimately bo--6 . , como-i-self-supporting, with no further aid , . .than the Government subsidy of 245. in tho r ■...>■■■ . £ on-" moneys locally• raised:'Tho present t . .. position was that there were ,only eleven inr - . stitutions thus maintained) >Wlo 41 derived h their money from the ,rates. The system of 'i; ... ■ - separato institutions had,'therefore, been a ~.... failure. . ;■ The amendment was negatived by 43 votes r: to 29, and tho original motion, in favour of, . the continuance" of th® present system of s •- separate institutions was adopted; GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES. r Mr. P. Bellringer (Taranaki) moved, and t Mr. Quinn (H&wera). seconded, TThst tbis conforence protests-agaiiist <■■■■ any-Toduotiott of the Government subsi- * dies to hospital and charitable aid."

Mr. K. A. Tapper (Dunodin)moved as an amendment— , ; i " That tho wholo cost of hospital and charitablo ."a'diiimistration should bo borne by tho Consolidated Fund." In support of this proposal, tho mover said that a man, 'after spending tho best years of his lifo in .the South;-might leave tor a warmer climate. (Laughter). He might go to Auckland, and-uf ho iiceded'liospitnl treatment or' charitablo aid, ho would, under tho present system, bomo'upori tho Auckland ratepayers. ■ ?i; ' ' , , r , Mr. G. Payling (North Canterbury Hospital Board) seconded tho amendment pro forma.. He had much'. sympathy with tho idea, but considered it impracticable. The question was postponed at the request of' 1 tho Chairman, as ho expected to be able later to make a statement with Ministerial authority. . *f ELECTION OF COMMITTEES. 1 Tho Chairman said ho did not approvo of the. method of electing ■ committees as laid down in tho Bill. Ho thought tho comnnttees should bo' elected by tho boards, but need not consisfc./eutii'ely of • members or the 1 boards. !£Bis* whs. especially- desirablein ■i'iow of the ppssibltf«int'roduction of some modification of tho'Elberfeld system, lhero wero people who would bo very useful mem-, bers of such committees, but would not care .to facft P„f.a popular election. Ho' referred to, the growing leisured class, rotlred eivil..servants..o,nd others. Under tho. Elberfold system 'the .districts would bo divided, and.. put^iindbV-the control of a person ivhoseVptisitiaU'waS-recognised by the. public as a-', responsible .and honourable one. If- tho committees wero elected as ho' gestedy;it .-would tend to-economical, and efficient administration of charitablo aid. It was resolved; on the motion of Sir. T. C \orris (North' Canterbury Charitable Aid •Hoard),' seconded by Loudon (Dunedin) That the : boards, , may appoint'com- . ■ -imitt'ebs,'' riot, necessarily of their own members, to carry out the functions of i ana"m»j r -'dologato to each .. -committeo such-of.'itsvpowers as may.be . deemed expedient." This was carried on tho voices. • ■ COVERNMENT GONTROU. 7 Sir., J. G. Wilson inb'ved:— ; "Tliat in lion of tho power of veto comprised vin rtlio f.'Bill, tho Inspector- !• Geueral sliajl"bexiGX-pffieio a memberiof; ' all boards ift;the,:Dominion." ry - Tho mover submitted that tho making of all appointments subject to tho approval of this! Inspector-General would bo too autocratic ;an arrangement, but on tho other hand ■tho' should-liavo a more' assured standing than at ,present, instead of -going,to*the hospitals' as a visitor. Sir.' ■ Williams (Waiapu)... seconded : tho motion. '• v' " -Tlio Chairman, in reply to a question, said, lie-did not think tho Government would accept this proposal in liou of tho power of ; f veto.: -. . ' ■■ Sir. Sl'Slahon (Nelson) pointed' out that the-: Government paid subsidies to other local ,'bodies,' but did .Jiotf* 4 .sfiim representation 1 thereon,?arid ho' failed to seo tho need for jtho'amohdment.-. i■, Mr. R. C; Kirk (Wellington) moved the ■ following , Tliat .in limi of. tlio-provision giying ,-tlio, Minister, tho power to-veto' any ap;/pbintment, tho following provision _be •'made:} That no appointment of a medical , officer ".or matron bo made until the expiration of 21 days''lifter , tho . Minister\ ■ > shall liavo been notified of the intention : .to make such apppint'in'ent." 1 ' Hon. C. SI.. l Lul«; .M.L.C., said .that tho magnitude of the 'Government' subsidies to Hospitals and charitable aid, justified a measure of ' Govornment,ropresentation on the boards. ' - ■ ■ ' ' i Sir. F. ,T.-Moore. Wellington) strongly op-, posed the Ministerial veto. ' ■ In tho icourse .of-.iuxtlior discussion Sir.' G. Carson (Wanganui) supported Sir, Wilson's motion.}' Hojobj?oted. strongly to .tho ppjver Of veto, being-jgiven 'to'tnb; Inspector-General or ithe lady dnspector'm' regard 1 to .appointmollis of doctors iand nurses.

' Mr. G,. Loudon (Dunedin) contended that Government;, representation on the hoards was unnecessary.,■•.-■and- tho Inspector-General, already had..sufficient..powers., The position! of jtlie Inspector:G.o|ieral as a momber of;the. board - would bo - unsatisfactory... - r : - ; ' .' Mr. Wilson-withdrew his motion-in favour df. which was .then 1 carried by-s,o'votes,'against 16; 1 Mr. : j.' 'P. ; Euke' (Wellington Hospital Board) moved '; "That s as long*'fls*the'Govcrnment,con- : tributes, tho. same.subsidies as at present, • they should appoint not more than two j members of each board." i This was lost on tho voices. i DISTRiCT BOUNDARIES. The Chairman then-read the names of tho hospital'districts,.proposed to be constituted by I the' Bill, asking delegates who objected ;to -tho boundaries to state tlieir wishes. .'' .The.;Bay,.of Plenty and' Thames Districts were agreed to on the basis , of 'Tauranga County being detached;from the latter and added to the former.' • Cook District was agreed to with tho, excisioiiS'of- Waiapu County, which would be formed into, a separato district. . Tho follo\ving^reT'e'objected to by the dele-gates:-—Taranaki, Wanganui, Wellington, Marlborough, Wostland, North Canterbury, Central Otago, Otago,. Southland. The Chairman mado appointments to meet the ■delegates frpmj;tlieso v districts. A small appointed- to ;re-:-vise and conference. 7 '' ' ''' -' The until 10 a.m. today.. . . , '•'iS, v . '