HOSPITAL FUNDS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21633, 9 February 1945, Page 4

HOSPITAL FUNDS

SUBSIDY PROPOSAL CONFERENCE DEBATE CONTROL BY DISTRICTS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 9. The subject of hospital finance provoiced a long discussion at the conference of the Hospital Boards' Association of New Zealand, which decided that the executive should confer with the Counties’ Association and-the Municipal Association with a view to bringing about uniformity of approach to the Government. The executive submitted the following remit, on which the discussion was based: “That this conference considers that thq best interests of patients can be served by the present system of local control. That nationalisation ot hospitals would no.t be in the best interests of patients, nor would it effect any economy. It would be cumbersome in operation, and less satisfactory than the present system. That the obtaining of all money required for hospital expenditure from the central Government’s funds would lead to the nationalisation of hospital administration. That instead of seeking an increased contribution from the social security fund', i.t is recommended that further assistance be granted to hospital boards by amending the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act to provide, in respect of all capital expenditure and interest on loans, a subsidy at the rate of £2 for every £1 raised by levy.”

Mr. A. Bishop, Auckland, expressed the opinion that neither the counties nor the municipalities would favour the proposals. The matter should be left to them, as they had to find the money.

Some delegates spoke in support of this view, and others eonteneved that local bodies would welcome any reduction in the levy, such as that which could be brought about by the executive’s plan.