HOSPITAL LEVIES.

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 July 1915, Page 2

HOSPITAL LEVIES.

SPECIAL MEETING- OF GRM BOARD. REDUCTION IN ESTIMATES. A special meeting of the Grey Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was held at the County Chambers, Gresson Street, at noon to-day, ' and was attended by the following : —Messrs M. Hannan (chairman), G. E. Perkins, R. C. Forsyth, J. McCarthy, J. Gieseking, . M. Ayrton, R. Larkin and J. Finn. The meeting was called to consider a protest made by the Grey Borough Council against the proposed increased levies and to consider an amended statement of estimated receipts and expenditure for the ensuing year. . COMPARATIVE FIGURES. The amended statement showed a reduction in the estimated receipts and expenditure of £670, the figures being £7.590 as against £8,260 in the original proposals. The reduction under estimated receipts was principally in regard to local body levies as follows :---£2936 12s lid'as against £3320, a reduction of £383 7s Id together wijh the consequent reduction in Government thereon of £385 12s 2d, making a total reduction under the heading of levies of £769 19s 3d. On the. expenditure side the figures in regard to upkeep of hospital, isolation building, laundry. tank for water supply, were .reduced from £6,500 to £5,650, a reduction of £BSO. although in addition' to ordinary upkeep of the hospital £3Ol for isolation building and laundry and' £SO for tank were provided for. as well as £IBO for shelter building at Cashmere Hills Sanatorium in the amended statement. / The following figures show the amounts originally proposed to be levied on the local bodies concerned compared with those of the amended estimate:— '

Originally proposed. Adopted. £ s. d. £ s. d., Grev Borough 1760 19 8 1557 15"' 6 Grey County 1391 6 7 1230 11 0 Bruhner Borough 51 0 6 45 2 5 Runanga Borough. 116 13 3 103 4, 0 The amended statement showed the reduction of levies to local bodies as against amounts originally proposed to Be as follows :

Reduction • Grey Borough, £203 4s 2d; Grey County, £154 15s 9d; Brunner Borough, £5 18s Id; and Runanga Borough, £l3 9s 3d. The Chairman said if it was found that they had urfder-estimated the receipts the Board had power to strike an interim levy, or increase the levy next year correspondingly. He moved that the levies be struck as indicated in the amended statement. This*was seconded by Mr. Perkins. Mr. Ayrton asked as to the urgency of the Hems cut out of the estimated expenditure. The Clerk stated that the Medical Superintendent had approved of the deferment of proposed new works in regard to X Rays room, storage battery surgery etc., for twelvemonths.

Mr. Perkins said the items were really extraordinary expenditure and should not be included under the heading of upkeep. The £3OO for isolation ward, and £IBO for shelter shed at Cashmere Hills included this, year, would not recur next year when the Board would be in a better position to undertake the deferred works. He thought the Board should adopt the same policy as other Boards in keeping down unnecessary expenditure at the present time and in view of high prices for building articles. Mr. Ayrton said the position to him appeared to be one of a backward tendency. The Councils he represented had approved of the original statements and lie felt bound to support the estimates as at first drafted, especially as he anticipated increased expenditure this year in regard to treatment of returned soldiers in hospitals, and also in regard to increased calls for charitable aid. What grounds had they for saying that the Board would be in a better position next year to meet the deferred expenditure. He had good grounds to believe they would be infinitely poorer and the district poorer next year. He was disposed to vote against the amended statement.

Mr. Perkins said what had been cut out of the estimated expenditure was really under the heading of capital expenditure. As regards the likelihood of increased calls on the Board for wounded soldiers as well as indirectly increased charitable aid calls, he anticipated that the special assistance from the Government and from patriotic funds would prevent, the Board being financially involved in the extra expenditure as_ fered by Mr. Ayrton. _ The motion was then put and carried, Mi*. Ayrton dissenting.