HOSPITAL FINANCE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 14 April 1928, Page 7

HOSPITAL FINANCE.

ADM IXI ST RATION AT lIA WEE A VEAR ’S FIGURE'S REVIEWED LOAN EXTENSION WANTED The statement anil payments for the year ended March 31, 1928 and estimates for the ensuing year was tabled at a special meeting of the Hawera Hospital Board yesterday, and showed that on the present basis of completing the loan repayment in nine years a levy of 2s Sid in the £IOO would be roijuired to meet the estimated expend, iiure for the ensuing year. In view of this the board decided to again approach the 'Minister with a view to having the remaining repayments of the loan extended over 18 years as had been recommended at the recent conference of local bodies concerned. There were present at the meeting Messrs F. -Gilalmlers (chairman). E. J. Gifford. M. C. Crighton, J. J. Meld on, E. A. Washer, J. S. McKay, T. Winks, ,T. L. Campbell, and A. G. Larcom. The fact that the collection, of fees at Hawera Hospital with its daily average of 48 occupied beds was higher during the financial year ended March 31, 1927, than any similar institution in the Dominion with an accommodation of 20 be'dte and upwards was disclosed in a report received from the Department of Health which has just been made available covering the 192 - -27 year. The average amount in respect of the Hawera Hospital was £.102.1 per occupied bet] ate compared with the Dominion average of £63.7. It was pointed out by ’the secretary (Mr C. M. Haggett) that the amount of fees collected during the year ended March 31, 1928, was £SOO in excess of 'the. previous year. The departmental report further showed that the cost of £238.8 per occupied bed at Hawera was the highest in the Dominion during the 1926-27 year, when the New Zealand average was £199.5. The Hawera Board’s financial statement tabled gave the following details in respekd of the year 1927-28 with the estimated corresponding figures for the ensuing year in parentheses: — MAINTENANCE. Receipts. —Cash in hand, £3674 15s 3d; patients payments (all sources), £5626 12 s 2d (£5225); C. aid recoveries (all sources), £522 is Id; £(500); inter, est, £l2 14s Id (£25); farm sales, £648 10s 7d (£650); sundry debtors, £43 13s sd; refund of maintenance money used, fur capital purpose's, £1502 17s lid; maintenance levies, £6708 Us 7d (£lO,047. 17s 3d); maintenance subsidy, £5691»11s lOd (£10,083 10s 7d). Totals, £24,430 17s Id (£26,531 7s lOd). Payments. —Overdraft (£1502 _ 17s J Id) ;* hospital maintenance, £13,654 9s 2d (£14,050); charitable aid indoor lelief, £853 19s 4d (£940); charitable aid outdoor relief, £7BO 11s (£950); administration, £1558 10s 3d (£1625); amounts paid other boards, sanatoria, etc.. £11.27 14s Hid (£1150); rents, rates and taxes, £212 13s 4d> (£25); interest, £5169 15s 6d (£4975); board’s contribution to National Provident lb)lid. £l74s Ss (£200); refund of subsidy to Consolidated Fund, £251 12s 2d * (£553 9s lid); refund fees £ls, preliminary and removal £lO2 IBs Od, farm expenses £507 ss. and petty cash £22—£647 3s 6d (£560); totals, £24.430 17s Id (£26.531 7ls lOd).

CAPITAL. Receipts. —Cash in hand (£1630 5s 3d); capital levies outstanding, £641 lis 8d (£667 12s); subsidy on levies outstanding, £2124 8s 8d (£1507 ss); voluntary contributions and bequests, £3Ol 17s 2d (£100); subsidy on do. outstanding, £126 9s 3d. (£1 9s); sale capital assets, £258 19s lOd; capital levy, £5388 3s stl (£3946 14s sd); capital subsidy, £4548 10s 5d (£3946 14s 4d); totals. £13,390 0s 5d (£11,800). Loans. —Drawn from bank, £5701 9s 2d (£3408 7s 8d). Payments.—Loan Repayment £BOOO (£80oO); capital works other than loans, £3759 15s 2d (£1500); cash in hand, £1630 5s 3d; reconstruction at Old People’s Home, (£50); levies and subsidies as at March 31, 1929, estimated to be (£2250) —totals, £13,390 Us od (£11,800). Loans.—Withdrawals from bank, £5701 9s 2d (£3408 7 s ; capital works expenditure, £5701 9s 2d (£3408 7s 8d). A Rlf DEEMING FEATURE. When the chairman proposed that the estimates should be suumitted to the Minister, Mr Campbell referred to tlie wages bill and said it appeared the hospital was overstalled. He expiessed alarm concerning the increasing expenditure in maintenance, but said a redeeming feature was presented by the amount of fees collected by the secretary and staff.

The chairman reviewed the salaries ami wages list totalling £6537, and gave the opinion that the hospital could not do without the services of any one of the officials represented. Referring to the nursing staff, the secretary explained that the. ratio was 2.1 patients to each member of the staff, whereas the standard was two patients to each nurse, while Dr. McEaohern during his visit had advocated 1.5 patients to each nurse as the ideal standard. A year ago finance matters were dealt’ with by the finance committee, but as the whole matters were, subsequently dealt with, by the board and took equally as long a time, as had already been expended by the. committee. consequently it had been a waste of time on the part of the committee first covering the ground said the. chairman, when Mr. .Campbell drew attention to tbe fact that for several months' there had been no meeting of tbe committee. The. chairman would, however, he quite willing to fall into line if the hoard desired finance, matters to be. considered by the committee.

Mr. Orighton favoured tbe- principal, of different departments being attended to by small committees, but supported the chairman concerning the action usually taken by the board, concerning financial matters. Mi\ Winks gave tbe opinion that the hoard was <yuito entitled to review the finance committee’s report, and if the discussion became unduly lengthy it could be dealt with by tbe committee. Mr. Washer considered that periodically it was the function of the board to thoroughly review the financial situation. "ERROR OF JUDGMENT." "I think. Mr Chairman, you committed an error of judgment, your duty being to represent the wishes of the majority of the board that the loan should be extended," said Mr McKay, when in reply to Mr McKay’s enquire the chairman explained that when interviewing the Minister lie had pointed.out that, while the extension of the loan would reduce the levy from about 2s 9d to approximately 2s 4d, it would ultimately involve added cost '•■to the ratepayer.

i The chairman: “I may have made an error of judgment, but I took the attitude that the minority as well as the majority is entitled to representation and I ‘put the thing as fairly as possible before the Minister from both points of view. At least four of the local body representatives were against the extension of the loan.” Mr Winks: “You know, Mr Chairman, my views on the subject, but, 1 don’t wish to see further pin-pricking caused. At the same time 1 must support Mr McKay that you committed an error of judgment. The position is now that the Minister wishes us to consider the matter in the light of our estimates and pass a itirther recommendation accordingly.” Mr McKay moved that, in view of the high levy suggested for the 1928-29 season, tlie Minister be asked to give consent to the repayment of the loan overdraft being reduced by £4OOO annually and to extend the period accordingly. The motion was secoliiided by Mr Campbell and was carried. A division being requested, Messrs McKay, Larcom. Winks, Campbell, Gifford and Meldon voted for, and the chairman and Messrs Crighton and Washer against the motion. The further consideration of the estimates was deferred pending receipt of the Minister’s reply.