DIFFICULT TIMES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22316, 29 April 1947, Page 6

DIFFICULT TIMES

SUPPLY AND COSTS WORSE SINCE WAR’S END EFFECT ON HOSPITAL WORK “The year under review has been a pretty difficult one., I can say without exaggeration,” said the chairman, Mr M. T. Trafford. in presenting his annual report to the special meeting of the Cook Hospital Board heid yesterday. to consider the estimates for the current financial year. "The board has been unable to get ahead with any major works, but nevertheless the costs of managing the institutions have again risen considerably,'' added Mr Trafford. "The level of costs has risen sharply, and the position with regard to the supply of materials is worse to-day than it was at the close of the war. "There is nothing we can do about it, because we are up against world condilions, which are probablv more unsettled than at any time in memory. The chairman thanked the members of the board, the executive officers, and the press lor the co-operation given to him during the year. Commenting on the report submitted by Mr Trafford, Mr H. H. Barker pointed out that the estimated costs for the ensuing year showed that the board haa been able to bring matters under better control. Had there been no change in the incidence of hospital finance, it would still have been possible to reduce the levies upon local contributing bodies by comparison with last year. That was a satisfactory feature of the estimate and of the chairman s repoi t, and he noted, said Mr Barker, that the domiciliary nursing scheme seemed to be justifying itself.