ABOVE ESTIMATE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21933, 30 January 1946, Page 7

ABOVE ESTIMATE

COST OF_ UPKEEP HIGH EXPENDITURE HOSPITAL INSTITUTIONS Maintenance expenditure for the institutions under the Cook Hospital Board’s control for the nine months ended December 31, 1945, was £5254 in excess of a three-fourths allocation of the total estimated expenditure for the financial year, the managing secretary, Mr. C. A. Harris, reported to yesterday's meeting of the Cook Hospital Board. The estimated requirements for the period was £51,235, whereas the ac'iuil net expenditure was £56,489. “It cannot be anticipated that the final quarter will greaty improve the present position,” said Mr. Harries. RECEIPTS

“The salary increases spread throughout the separate items of expenditure account for the major portion of the excess,” Mr. Morris commented. "The indications are that there will be a deficit of £7OOO at the end of the financial year,” commented Mr. H. H. Barker.

Part of the answer to the increased costs in the running of the hospital was given in the fact that the cost ot the provisions had gone up by 45 per cent, in two years, as well as tfiefe being a 40 per cent, increase in vJa'ge costs.

One item alone in the diet additions which went to swell the provision costs was rosehip syrup, which was now costing £360 per year, while a year or two ago this was not used at all, the managing secretary commented.

Pro. of Est. to Dec. 31. Actual. Patient Fees— £ £ Cook Hospital 34,898 30,333 Cook Maternity Lister Hospital 2,438 1,012 2,496 1.071 Memorial Home 713 640 Dis'et nursing benefits 1,8-tr. 1,779 indoor relief recoveries 1,575 1,941 Kent mid interest 172 222 Miscellaneous receipts 56 7 Dairy farm 1,556 1,733 Refund subsidy .. 71 71 £44,336 £40,293 EXPENDITURE Pro of Est. Actual for to Dec. 31, 9 mouths ended Dec. 31. Hospital Maintenance— £ £ Provisions . . 7,099 8,047 Domestic & Kstnb'mt 14,259 15,874 Surgery & dispons’ry Bacteriological 4,093 345 5,514 309 X-ray 849 992 Salaries ts wages . . 38.407 41,507 Tolaga Bay Hospital 787 991 Hospital bus 117 117 £60,550 £73.351 Cook Maternity mainance 4,121 3,747 Lister maintenance .. Charitable Aid— 2,765 2,876 Outdoor Indoor 2,002 5,751 1,680 5,398 Grant to St. John Ainb. and Subsidies 375 375 District nursing 1,798 1,077 Administration 3,966 4,090 Am’t-s. paid other lxls. Interest on Bank Over1,875 2,921 draft and Loans .. 3,229 4,027 Superannuation 000 583 Miscellaneous Fav’ints 495 1,172 Dairy farm working . . 1,509 1,310 Unauthorised exp. 169 175 ■ Refund subsidy .. — — £95,571 £102,782