WAIPAWA HOSPITAL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 111, 23 April 1936, Page 11

WAIPAWA HOSPITAL

Increased Levies on Local Bodies YEAR’S ESTIMATES • b rom Our Own Correspondent. WAIPUKURAU, April 22. Estimates for the coming year, showing an increase in several departments and an increase in the levies on contributing local bodies, were considered and approved at to-day’s meeting of the Waipawa Hospital Board. The levy rate for 1936/37 is ,172 d as compared with . 162 d in 1936-36. The levies lor the incoming years are 17.5 per cent, higher than lor the yean .935-36, but are 8.6 per cent, lower than in 1931-32 and 13.3 per cent, lower than in 1930-31. The total estimated expenditure of the board tor the jear 1936-37 is as follows: —General maintenance £18,327 4/2; sanatorium maintenance £17,290; general capital £13,215, and sanatorium capital £1322 ,i/3; total, £50,185 1/5.

The estimated levies lor the year 1036-37, were adopted as follow:—

£ s. d. i’atangata County Council 3445 19 11 ri aipawa County Council 2392 18 0 riaipukurau Cty. Council 720 22 Waipukurau Bor. Council 366 10 11 Waipawa Borough Council 213 19 8 In a memoranda tabled dealing with the workings of the past year and the estimates lor the current year it was stated as follows: — General account.—Maintenance receipts : Patients’ lees under all headings exceeded last year’s estimates by £464, but in view of last year’s figures including a fair amount of ’’good follow up money” carried over from the previous year, when tue new tees system was inaugurated, it is not anticipated that the results will be so fruitful during the ensuing year, and these estimates have been decreased accordingly. General account. —Maintenance expenditure; Although there were many fluctuations in the individual items, the total expenditure for the past year embracing Waipukurau Hospital, Bathbone Maternity Hospital, general administration and social welfare, exceeded the estimates by only one penny. The complete maintenance expenditure estimates on general account were £l6, 956 8/3, while the sum expended was £16,665 3/6. the year commencing with a credit balance of £l,lll 2/5, and concluding with a credit balance of £874 2/1. After due consideration to stocks in band, provision for salary increases and restorations, increased prices and other routine fluctuations, an additional expenditure of £lO3O is being provided for Waipukurau Hospital Maintenance expenditure for the incoming year. Maternity Hospital estimates have been increased by £5l, while corresponding increases are allowed for under the other general maintenance expenditure headings. In all, on general maintenance account, a total increased expenditure of £1663 is budgeted for. It will be noted that interest for the past year totalled the small sum of £1 1/3, 18/3 of this being bank interest on £lOOO of the old 1927 loan, which was paid off during April, 1935, and the remaining 3/- was interest on overdraft for a very short period just before the close of the financial year, owing to the new loan not yet being floated. The amount provided in the new estimates for interest on loan should be ample but the exact figures are not yet available.

Pukeora Sanatorium account: It will be noted that on both receipts and payments’ sides (maintenance) the past year’s estimates were insufficient, the reason for this, of course, being the steady rise in the bed state as the year progressed. While the estimates for the incoming year have been made higher on both sides, it is advisable, in view of possible unforseen circumstances, not to work on too high a bed state. However, it is anticipated that the sum of approximately £lOOO may this year be transferred from revenue to capital account in continuation of the reconditioning programme, but a far larger sum could easily be absorbed for necessary items. General items on the new estimates: The total district capital valuation for this year’s levies has increased by £28,851, the Patangata County and Waipukurau Borough showing decreased valuations, while Waipawa and Waipukurau counties and Waipawa Borough show increases. The maintenance subsidy rate shows an increase from 15/11 in the £ to 16/8 in the £. BOARD’S MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Waipawa Hospitaf Board was held to-day, the chairman, Mr W. H. Rathbone presiding aver Messrs R. A. Fraser, D. Eddy, L. Gknny, B. G. Atkins, W. Matuewx, N. 1. Hawthorn, H. W. White and T. P. Hunter. The managing-secre-tary, Mr P. K. Smyrk, the medical superintendent of the Public Hospital, Dr. W. B. Fisher, and the superintendent of the Pukeora Sanatorium, Dr. P. C. Anderson, were also present. The superintendent of the National Provident Fund wrote, stating that members of the sanatorium nursing staff have not been entered in the superannuation scheme, and asking the leuson why. At the direction of the chairman, the managing-secretary had replied pointing out the board’s reasons for not including this staff in the scheme, j

A further letter was received from the superintendent relative to this, and the board decided to defer consideration until the next meeting, the qualified nurring staff to be acquainted of the letters.

The chairman pointed out that, when the board took over the sanatorium, the board found that the qualified nursing staff were not contributants, and that, to have compelled them to join at that late date would have inflicted 1 ardship. These members of the staff had been classed as temporary employees. The Department of Health wrote that the Audit Office would raise no objection to the cost of servicing and repairing the wireless installations at the hospital and the Pukeora Sanatorium being treated as maintenance expenditure, the annual cost to be limited t> £25 for each institution. Dr. Ulric Williams wrote forwarding a circular letter in reference to treat ment of the sick. The letter was re-

ferred to the medical superintendents,

The Central H.B. Electric Power Board wrote agreeing to supply current to the hospital on the basis of £l6 per K.V.A. per annum, plus a per unit.—The letter was received, the board confirming the agreement.

The Central H.B. Electric Power Board wrote granting permission for its engineer to draw up specifications tor a revised electrical system at the hospital.—The chairman stated that Mr J. K. Lee had already drawn up the required specifications.

The Central H.B, Electric Power Boa r d wrote agreeing to the board's suggestion to allow its engineer to periodically inspect the hospital electric plant and report on any irregularities. —The board decided to thank the Power Board, expressing its appreciation of the co-oporiition given. The board decided to make the chairman’s honoraria £75. The finance committee had previously recommended that the honoraria be increased to £lOO, but Mr Rathbone requested that no change be made. Members unanimously expressed their appreciation of Mr Rathbone’s action.

At the conclusion of the meeting, a special meeting to pass statutory resolutions in connection with the hoard’s building scheme and loan, and the annual meeting to consider estimates and levies for the coming year were held.