HOSPITAL FUNDS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 149, 26 June 1931, Page 10

HOSPITAL FUNDS

SERIOUS SHORTAGE

HOW CAN IT BE MADE UP ?

INQUIRY AGREED TO

-'After a long and animated discussion the Wellington Hospital Board yesterday afternoon agreed to the following motion, moved by Dr. B. Campbell Begg: "That, in view of the fact that the money authorised £nd available to ihe board for social welfare purposes will at the present rate of expenditure be exhausted before the end of the financial year, and that it is unjustifiable at the present time tb throw further burdens on the taxpayer by asking the Government to increase the subsidy already granted, the board take immediate steps to estimate what money will be required, and that the matter be referred to the General Committee to formulate a scheme for raising this sum."

The address of Dr. E. Campbell Begg in. moving the motion has already been reported. It dealt with the financial position of the board, and indicated the serious state the board will be in before the end of the financial year unless some drastic steps are taken in the meantime.

Mr. A. T. Markman seconded the motion. He said he had not gone into the detailed figures given by Dr. Begg, but presumably those .figures were correct, and it appeared that there •would be a shortage of some £50,000 for the year. In fact, that was the shortage ho had arrived at after a much rougher calculation than that made by Dr. Begg. The members of the board and its officers must realise the position the board was in. It was now the duty of the board to try and steer the ship into a calmer sea. There must be many avenues of expenditure in which savings could he made. Members knew from the evidence given before the Commitjee p£ Inquiry that savings could be maae. . Mr. C. M. Luke rose to a point of order. He contended that matters disclosed at the Committee of Inquiry could not be brought up at the present puncture. The chairman (Mr. F. Castle) ruled that it was- not in order to refer to the evidence given before the committee.

Mr. Markman said that apart from the evidence given to the committee, it was apparent that savings could be effected. Much as members might dislike dispensing with services, they had a duty to perform as trustees of the public. The original Hospitals and .Charitable Aid Act was passed very many years • ago, and it was never intended then, or even in more recent years, that hospital boards should take over the burden of unemployment which had now been thrust upon them. He agreed with the. mover of the motion that the method of raising the required revenue should be considered in committee. It seemed clear that it was the duty of the board to consider ways and means by which revenue could be obtained. The question was brie which affected other hospital-boards as well as the Wellington board. A.way could possibly be found by which they could perform the essential duties of the Hospital instead of trying to flounder on as they were doing now, leading possibly to a state of bankruptcy.

"GBOWING AND GROWING."

': 'Mr. <5. Petherick (chairman- of the Welfare Committee) said that no one realised more than he did the heavy expenditure now thrown on the Social Welfare Committee. It must be remembered that half of that amount was due to ■unemployment. Mr. Markman: "That is the point % have stressed." Mr. Petherick said lie had many times emphasised the point that it was never intended that hospital boards should have to bear the burden of unemployment. The board estimated that £45,000 would be needed this year. Last year £39,000 was expended. The estimated requirements had been again cut down to £39,000, and still the unemployment demands were growing and growing.' "Apart from unemployment, the social welfare demands would not have caused anxiety or worry. Mrs. Preston took exception to the expression that largely through the expenditure of the Social Welfare Committee "they were floundering on to possible bankruptcy." Was that fair criticism of the work of the committee? ,The committee was doing its level best to carry out its statutory duty. _ Mr. Markman said he did not intend ito cast any reflection on the committee. Mrs. Preston maintained that the committee was anxious to adopt helpful suggestions in the carrying out of their work. They desired that the work 'done should be of a reproductive nature. ,The expenditure had been brought down to as low a figure as possible.

."NIGGEB IN THE WOODPILE."

The chairman (Mr. P; Castle) expressed disappointment at the remarks of the mover and seconder of the motion. Dr. Begg and Mr.. Markman had dealt with many matters that members knew about, but had not disclosed the "nigger in the woodpile." They had not suggested any definite scheme. If they had a scheme, were they ashamted to disclose it? If some scheme had been disclosed, members could consider it. A member of the Legislative Counfcil had advocated a lottery for hospital finance. Was that in the minds of the supporters of the motion? He for one jwould oppose a lottery for hospitals. "It comes down too this," said Mr. [Castle, "that the Government must deicide what taxation is necessary to maintain essential services. If there are any unessential services in the light of the existing financial strain, we must cut them out. It is hardly fair, howfever, to talk in vaguo terms. The board is carrying out what it regards aa essential services in the most economic way possible." By insinuation it was implied that waste was going on. He hoped the board would not pass the motion in its present form. It was too vague. NOT rUNCTION OF BOABD. Mrs. J».. Eraser contended that it was hot the function of the board to formulate any scheme in connection with finance. That was the duty of the Government. As Mr. Petherick had pointed out, the additional huge expenditure was caused by unemployment.

Mr. I. Van Staveren drew attention | to the following words in the motion: ••'That it is unjustifiable at the present time to throw further burdens on the taxpayer by asking the Government to increase the subsidy already granted." The subsidy given by the Government wag a fixed amount, whereas the relief which the board was asked to give was forced upon them by the number of cases of unemployment— cases which could not be turned down. If it was not within the power of the board to turn down those cases, then the finance must be found by the citizens generally or by the Government. He thought that Dr. Begg and Mr. Markman had taken an over-gloomy view. This was a very' elastic country, and a very elastic community^ and a jolly plucky one too. In this wonderful old town of Wellington he knew that the citizens were always ready to help if they were appealed to in the right way. He suggested that the jnover should strike out the last words v£ the> Resolution, namely,

formulate a scheme for raising this sum." Ho thought the board had a pretty, fair notion of what money would bo required under present conditions. They were faced with greater calls than they had anticipated, and they should bring that matter under the notice of tho authorities, who would havo ultimately to find the money for the carrying out of the board's activities. But tho board could not refuse to carry out its duties to tho poor. They could not turn down applications for food and shelter. "AN ABLE STATEMENT." Mr. C. M. Luke said that Dr. Begg had made such allusions to the past administration of the board that one could not sit quiet and let Ins remarks pass. He admitted that Dr. Begg's statement was a very able one from a certain point of view; and Dr. Begg had no doubt taken courage from the splendid position he occupied in the recent election. It looked as if Dr. Begg should go a step further and go into Parliament, and, judging by his address, he would no doubt become Primo Minister. Mr. Luke then said that Dr. Begg by innuendo had charged extravagance against past boards. Dr. Campbell Begg: "By direct statements." Mr. Luke replied that ho valued friendly relations with medical men, and ho trusted that there would be nothing but good fellowship between himself and Dr. Begg. The boards in the past had-never incurred large expenditure without the approval of their medical advisers, in fact, as a rule, the recommendations came, from them. He referred to the building of the new hospital block, and showed that that work had been carried out largely on the advice of medical men. If economic reforms and improved financial arrangements could be made in the interests of the institution, bearing always in mind the welfare of the patients, by all means let improvements bo suggested. It was never intended, said Mr. Luke, that the board should find employment for the unemployed. That responsibility should rest on the Government. He felt that the board owed a debt to Dr. Begg for some of the information contained in his address. A great deal of that information was more a matter for the consideration of the Government than for the board. "VERY SERIOUS POSITION. '' Mr.' E. Windlcy agreed that the finances of the board were in a very serious position. . He failed to see anything in the motion that could be resented. As he saw the position, the board could nokcarry on under the present financial strain for tho current year. The question then arose, how were they to raise the necessary revenue? Ife had been suggested indirectly that the ratepayers should be' appealed to again.' They must realise, however, that tho ratepayers would not be able to meet the levy. As chairman of a local body, he knew the position of the ratepayers. Many of them had not met last year's obligations, and there was no prospect of meeting them. How on earth were they going to meet a supplementary levy? He was opposed to • a lottery, although he admitted that a lottery for hospitals would be a more deserving object than many of the objects for which lotteries had been sanctioned. He recognised that tho financial provision was a matter for the Government, but all must, recognise that,that would be a most difficult problem at the present time. Mrs. P. Eraser: ''It is their job."

Mr. Windley: "But they cannot do their job unless they get the money."

Mr. Petherick: "If there was a war to-morrow you would get the money."

Mr. Windley said that many ratepayers were on charitable aid now. He would support the motion.

, Dr. D. Macdonald Wilson said that instead' of looking'to the Government for money, they must consider the position themselves and see what could, be done. He suggested that more could bo done in the way of co-ordination of local bodies and the prevention of overlapping in.the city. He was afraid that if some steps were not taken to meet, the position, the administration of the hospital would suffer, as well as the administration of charitable relief.

At present there was work enough for the board to do in looking after the hospital, let alone anything else.

In the course of his reply, Dr. Campbell Begg said he considered that, the present was New Zealand's blackest hour, arid he had not made the statements he had! done without some backing and responsible information. They must remember the heavy_ responsilibities of the Government, including the payment of interest- on the Public Debt. Tho responsibilities of hospital boards in regard to economies were great. He expressed the opinion that the position would probably be difficult for some time to come, and it was possible that in the next twelve months there might be a difficulty in providing for some ordinary, hospital services, T^e Government next year might be 'unable,to assist them even to the extent they had now done.

The motion was then put and adopted. .