FRIENDLY SOCIETY FEES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 281, 12 November 1929, Page 3

FRIENDLY SOCIETY FEES

INSPECTION OF BOOKS GRANTED. HOSPITAL BOARD’S STATE MENTS DOUBTED. A strong protest was received by the Hawke’s Bay Hospital Board from the Friendly Societies’ Council against comparisons made and also the statement that 53 per cent, of the general patients’ fees were collected. As the Council did not agree with this percentage a request was made for permission for two of the Council’s members who were ratenayers to inspect the board's books for the purpose of verifying the percentage of fees collected Mr C 0 Morse, chairman, stated that the board could not raise objection to anv ratepayer making an inspection of its books. Mr E T. Roes (secretary) explained that the Friendly Societies had 2600 members and. nt 14/- each a year, they collected £lB2O from them. During 1927-28 they only paid the board £1552 in f»es and Inst vem it dropped to £1397. which meant that they we-n nhout £7OO short in two years. Either they bad the cash in hand partly to liquidate thru debts to the board or some of the lodges had not nfl'd their onntns The board ho contended, would be witbin its rights to ask where the £7OO was. Mr. G. Priest expressed disapproval of anyone being permitted to inspect the hoard’s books as it would entail a lot of extra work for

the staff. He further pointed out that the board had agreed that it could not accept anything from any one lodge until the whole matter was fixed up. Mr. S. J. McKee said it was for the lodges among themselves to try to arrive at a decision to give to the District Council. • Mr. A. E. Bedford regarded the request as a reflection upon the secretary. ; Mr. Rees was of opinion that the matter was being used as a lever to renew the agreement on betfer terms ' than the s(> per cent. Last year the - fees received totalled £15,997 whilst ’ £32,000 accrued. He found that the average fees received over all patients was 48 per cent, but when the Friendly Societies’ fees were taken out and also the amount paid then the percentage paid by the outside public was 50.7. The board then passed a resolution agreeing to the Friendly Societies' request.