The Feilding star. Oroua and Kiwitea Counties Gazette THURSDAY, MAY 30, 1907. Surplus Institutions.

Feilding Star, 30 May 1907, Page 2

The Feilding star. Oroua and Kiwitea Counties Gazette THURSDAY, MAY 30, 1907. Surplus Institutions.

Since the* death of the late Premier, Westland seems to have fallen in had case, and the people there are being brought to a realisation of their obligations in a manner hitherto only experienced in other parts of the colony. We referred recently to the celebrated Hokitika bridge trouble, where an attempt is being made by the Government to make the residents pay for the use of a railway bridge, which is utilised for ordinary vehicular traffic. Now, Dr. # Valintine has scattered dismay down the ! coast by pointing out that a number of the hospitals — which are mostly | homes for old miners — should be j closed and a central Old Men's Home established on the coast. The institutions he picks out as unnecessary are those at Charleston, Kumara, Ross and Reef ton. Some years ago we directed attention to the swindle being worked on the West Coast by moans of which the Hospital Boards there received a third more towards the suppnt of these institutions than was the case in other parts of the colony. This was effected by means of "patients' payments," This source of revenue does not entitle the Boards to any subsidy, but if an examination of the balance-sheets of the West Coast institution is made it will be seen that the "patients' payments" are,#very small, while the voluntary contributions, which carry a subsidy, jrtre abnormally large. We understand that this is worked by some system of tickets, under which j patients who contribute so much an- ; nually as "voluntary contributions," are entitled to free treatment. In this way, if an old man hands over his pension to the Hospital Board, instead of only 10s a week being received, the revenue of the Board would be augmented to the extent of 22s a week I The reduction of the number of institutions gathering in these shekels, and the massing of the inmates in one central institution, will considerably reduce the opportunities for foisting local expenditure on colonial revenue; but we are afraid that these drastic measures will either depopulate the West Coast of the South Island or reduce the people to a state of mind not commensurate with obedient Government suppor-