HOSPITAL FINANCES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 148, 24 May 1934, Page 10

HOSPITAL FINANCES.

CHRISTCHURCH POSITION. Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, May 23. Another attempt to persuade the North Canterbury Hospital Board to restore part of the wage cuts to its employees was made by Mr V. S. Spencer at to-day’s meeting of the board, but failed by one vote. Mr Spencer moved that the decision of the board, made at the last meeting, not to increase by 5 per cent, the salaries and wages of those earning £2OO a year or less, should be rescinded. The motion was defeated by 10 votes to 9, but _ Mr Spencer announced his intention to move at the board’s next meeting that the wages of all employees receiving £IOO a year or less should be increased by 10 per cent. Because they did not vote for the proposal to restore the wage reductions, seven members of the board’s finance committee were bitterly attacked by Rev. J. K. Archer, who moved that the following members of the committee should be discharged: Sir Hugh Acland, Messrs H. R. Davison, L. B. Evans, H. H. Holland, D. McMillan, H. J. Otley and F. Rowell. After a spirited exchange of hostilities, Mr Archer’s suggestion was defeated, only three members besides himself voting for it. “The finance committee, as it is at present, is totally unfit to have charge of the board’s affairs,” said Mr Archer. “It is the board’s duty to look after the sick and poor, but it seems to me that the finance committee is more willing to grind the faces of the poor, It has not the confidence of 30 per cent, of the electors.” Mrs E. R. McCombs, M.P.. seconded the motion as a protest against the refusal of the finance committee to recommend the restoration of the wage cuts. She said she did not understand the attitude of the medical men on the board. They did not seem to realise that they depended on the efficiency of the nurses and that the nurses were essential in some cases where the doctors were practjcally useless. Mr Archer called for a division, lie himself. Mrs McCombs, Mrs T. Green, and Mr J. S. Barnett being the only ones to support the motion.