COST OF HOSPITALS

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 16, 19 January 1921, Page 8

COST OF HOSPITALS

SUBSIDIES & REPRESENTATION

THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY.

, A commission of five has been appointed by Cabinet to inquire into hospital subsidies, representation,on the.bosixds, and other matters. The Minister of Public Health (the Hon.. C. J. Parr) an-nounced-the names of the members of the commission to-day as follow :—

, Mr. Wj- Downio Stewart,. M.P. for Dunedin;West, who will be chairman. 1

Mr. A. D. M'Leod, M.P. for Wiiirarapa, who has had considerable experience as a member of an important hospital board and as a member of contributing authorities.

The Hon. W: H. Triggs, M.L.C., of Christchurch, who is a member of the Board of. Health.

Dr. H. T. D. Acland, of Chrietchurch, who has wide knowledge of hospital administration and of the hospital requirements of the community as a. whole. Mr. George Sbirtcliffe, of Wellington, who will bring the experience of a business career to the deliberations of the commission.

The order of reference will ask the Commission to consider the fees that should be charged for maintenance and treatment, in public hospitals; the extent oo which the Government should contribute towards the capital requirements of hospital boards, and the basis upon which such contributions should be made; the extent to whick the Government should contribute towards the nett maintenance" and expenditure of hospital boards; the extent to which the Government should subsidise voluntary contributions; the present method ■of election to hospital boards, having regard to the nature'of the suffrage and to the basis of representation of .contributory local authorities and ratepayers on the boards; and the desirability, or otherwise of providing for Government representation upon boards by means of nominated members.

. The Minister raised the latter question in the course of a speech in the House of Representatives last session. Mr. Parr then said it seemed rather an anomaly that the ratepayers should find half the cost of the hospitals and be'■without special representation. He also expressed a strong view that the,, Government, in view of its contribution of one-half of the cost and upkeep of hospitals, should have some direct representation by suit; able nominated members upon the various boards.