HOSPITAL FEES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 285, 26 August 1908, Page 4

HOSPITAL FEES.

' ' ■ — -6- • AN INCREASE DECIDED ON. DISCUSSION BY THE TRUSTEES. A lengthy discussion took-place at yesterday's meotlng of tho Wellington' Hospital Trustees on : a recommendation of the House Committee that the advisablen'ess of increasing the in-patients' fees bo .considered. The following ■ report on the, subject was submitted by; lhe t'inance.pommitteo:— "The ; Committer report that tho . amount accounts for monthly sup- : plies, authority to pHy, J; which.. wns . granted' at tho meeting of the Board on 'August 11, is £1097 13s. Bd. .A- com- ' parison of some, of the principal itejns, . of stores for the first four months of the year showed an average monthly inoreaso over the estimate of expenditure. : ■ Gas —£o 12s. Bd. duo mainly to tho extra consumption during tho winter months. Milk—£34 Bs. Bd., duo chiefly to'tho winter rate of cliargo. lileatr- , £13; which is explained by the increase in the contract, prices. . - : 6s. 6d. , duo'entirely to the present scar- •• oity; and high prices :of •' most classes i'of' vegetables; on : themother'hand, 'wijiter ■, though it be, tha.cQ!isiimption.of,fue!™ias : shomi a saving : of £16 12s. 3di; for the 1 mofttii. The total amount' for "tli'o month . is in excess of. itho .previous month, aq- v counted for by the extraordinary'ey.pdn'di-' turo of nearly £100-and ,£4O of previous month's accbunts,:",-. The Chairman (the Hon. C. M. Luko): We havo. a report. from tha Finance Committee on the subjbet,. arid. I' thiiik the time has arrived for us to'-consider tho question of altering tho fees -inHhe direction of raising them to those who are nblo to pay. I admit that there is a largo, percehtago who aro unable to pay, butwill'not be affected, and for tlidso who jCan afford to pay, ss. a .. week is . a very small matter. Tho cost'of very" many 6f : tboi.'coninioclities, vegetables, meat; milk, butterj .etc., 1 have gone up so considerably as ,to • give our finance a serious aspect. The present, amount paid for theso commodities is £1000 a year, ahd • wo, must. oonsider liow thesoljicreases aro to be met, and whether our proposals is ono of tho legitimate ways of doingjjt,... ' : Mif; R.. C. Kiiit: J Ahjnk.j the fees should be increased. . '-v Mr. G. London: We inighii with reasoij have two cjiarges, ona, for .those .who. can .pay the maximum, and tho other for .those'who cannot.. I think.: thcro lvouid bo a better .prospect of Setting odr money: in. if a differential rate!' ; 1' .. 1..,., ;: t . .The .Chairman •' Theh.jai3f'the'vmaxim : umi': and osercise discretion as' 'to'who 'should' comb under it. Mr. London agreed. Mr. G. Nash asked how tho classes were to be distinguished.. ' " Tho Chairman: The Trustees will .fix that. Mr. F. _Gi Bolton : Tho objection ! have is that ...it seems 'to-mo that yod "are sapping i the. principle of independence of people who aro willing and anxious to pay, biit who may find 30s. per week bej-end them. I would rather keep the rate as low as possible, and get something rather than get nothing. ; I have nonobjection'' to classifying people if it can bo worked. ;' ' N Mr. J. W. M'Ewan: Is it a fact that wo have some patijftiits who prefer-coming to the Hospital when they are well able to pay for attendance afa'privato hospital?'" The Chairman: We do. get some on the : border-line. There is a wide difference be- 1 tween 255. and £3 3s. j the latter not including medical attendance. Mr. M'Ewan: If that is so, we should charge more. _ On the motion of 'the Chairman, , seconded by Mr. London, it was decided that tho fees in future be 30s. per week for patients residing in the district, and £2 for those outside, the Trustees to .fix the amount at the time the order is made.