HOSPITAL BOARDS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 7 October 1924, Page 7

HOSPITAL BOARDS.

CONFERENCE TO-DAY. IMPORTANT MATTERS DISCUSSED. (BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) , WELLINGTON, Oct. 7. The Hospital Boards’ Conference opened to-day, when Sir Maui P’omare made a statement regarding the various problems facing the Health Department and the various boards, and remarked upon the large number of remits on the agenda, including many for lightening the burden on the rafceby the handing over of some of the expense to the Government. He reminded them that this merely meant that the people were naying in another form. Hospital problems could not be solved merely by the transference of the burden.' Ihe prime motive of the conference was the formation of a Hospitals Association, which he anticipated would have good results. Hospital finance had become a very serious and levies and subsidies this year wpuld exceed £1,000,000, which was top high for such a small coiintry with no destitute class. He suggested that the conference should consider whether the present system provided too man} 7 beds and whether out-patients’ departments should Le developed. The multiplicity of districts also involved a large expenditure There was a great danger of an imdue increase in the number of base hospitals. The present 44 districts should be reduced to less than half. It was recommended that the charges should be increased to approximate to the cost of the service, with reductions for inability to pay. ’ A remit from the Whangarei Board r#ad: “That for the purpose of electing representatives to boards it i s desirable that electors’ qualifications be similar in all contributory districts, and that the Government be urged to bring down the necessary amending legislation.” There was some discussion on the suggestion that elections should be on the basis of‘ the parliamentary roll. Sir James Wilson strenuously opposed the idea, as they did not want to bring politics into hospital matters. Mr. Chapman (Wellington) said the only way to get people to take an interest in hospital affairs was to make the franchise as wide as possible. The chairman (Mr. Wallace)* said it would be a sorry day when party politics were introduced into hospital hoards. A motion by the North Canterbury Board,, that elections be on a Parliamentary franchise, was lost on the voices.