HOSPITAL COSTS

Evening Post, Issue 12, 14 July 1936, Page 10

HOSPITAL COSTS

INCREASING BURDEN

LOWER HUTT SUPPORTS

INVESTIGATION

Councillor E. Hogg, of the Petone Borough Council, recently discussed the rapidly-rising costs of hospital administration and was responsible for the framing of a resolution passed by the council calling for an investigation as to whether the costs were justified and whether local bodies should be relieved of the whole or part of the burden.

The resolution was last evening before the Lower Hutt Borough Council with a request from the Petone council for support.

The Mayor, Mr.J. W. Andrews, said that whether the cost was paid through the local bodies or through the Government it was .the same people who paid in the long run.

Councillor Cole said he wholeheartedly supported an investigation. The present system was a fearful burden on the ratepayers. The costs had increased and were still increasing, and- an investigation would perhaps disclose some more equitable basis for payment.

Councillor Ashton considered the whole question of hospital treatment needed overhauling. The saying that knowledge had advanced but wisdom was being retarded was nowhere more true than in the treatment of sickness. He hoped this side of the question would De discussed.

Councillor W. B. Rainey said he hesitated to support the resolution. The cost only amounted to about 10s per head and that was not a heavy burden for an efficient service which was available night and day. The incidence of taxation might be worth investigation, but he was not prepared to say the present system was wrong. The Mayor, Mr. J. W. Andrews, said that an • investigation might prove that boroughs were not paying as much as the counties for hospital services. Councillor W. A. F. Hall said the administration of hospitals in the past twenty or thirty years had been faulty and needed bringing up to date. There might be something to be said for national control.

The Mayor said he did not agree with Councillor Hall that the administration had been faulty. The rapid growth of medical science had made old practices obsolete.

In response to a request that the "speech" on the Hutt Valley telephone system be improved, the Post and Telegraph Department advised that the work of. installing apparatus was now in hand and should be completed by the end of September. The lines available were considered to be ample.