Hospital Levy On County Cl. Nearly £2,000 Higher

Northern Advocate, 10 May 1940, Page 2

Hospital Levy On County Cl. Nearly £2,000 Higher

! An increased hospital levy on the .Whangarei County Council of £967 7/7 —from £7791 9/7 last year to £8758 17/2 this year—was reported by the county clerk to the council today, j In the last two years the increase had been £1998 from £0761 to £8759, j a 29.5 per cent increase, j The council war. entitled lo comment on the estimates of the Hospital Board, 'the chairman (Mr J 1 ?-* A, S. Mac Kay) raid. 1 Personally, lie disagreed with the method of financing the hospital, and | considered it wrong for ratepayers to find one third of the cost of maintain - ing patients in the hospital. ] Under the existing laws, however, l it could not be Avoided. ; The council had every right to know j why such increases had taken place. Mr Mac Kay said the hospital board j would bo making a statement at its i meeting next Monday. I There had been certain items over which the board had no control, Mr Mac Kay explained. Wager Up £SCCO

The wages paid to the hospital staff were not higher than those paid in (ther hospitals. Awards covered many workers, and it was not possible to keep the staff not covered by awards if their present wages were reduced. Three years ago the wages bill c f the hcsptal had been £9300, and the estimate for wages this year war £14,C00, an increase of £SOOO. Heating' in the hospital was by steam, and firing produced another item over which the board had no control. Against the figures three years ago, the cost of firing to the board had increased by nearly 200 per cent. X-ray Replacements

The present X-ray plant of the hos- | pital was not suitable for complicated cases and a new one was estimated to cost £2700; also presses for the laundry were to cost £564. The staff might be able to manage without new presses, but other hospitals were furnished with such equipment, and they were considered necessary. Mr Mac Kay said. It was for contributing local bodies to express opinions which the hospital board would consider when discussing i the estimates. i Additions to the hospital had called for considerable alterations to the entrance and the estimate under this heading was to provide a front entrance and parking space for visiting cars. The question as to whether further increases were likely in the future had been asked by another local body. C.’pffal Expenditure Increase Unlikely Mr Mac Kay said that as far as he could see there would be little iL any capital expenditure for some years. Whether there would be increases in maintenance expenses he could not say. If costs continued to rise as they had done in the past four years, an increase seemed inevitable. During recent years the cost of maintaining a patient had risen by nearly 100 per cent. In Auckland the hospital levies had decreased, but that was because the Auckland board catered more for the poorer .section of its population. Mr Mac Kay said. Trior to the advent of social security. Auckland had collected only 30 per cent, of outsanding fees against Whangarei's 64 per cent. He was not prepared to say that Whangarei would be worse off under Social Security than before, but it definitely would have been in a happier position had costs not risen.

Patient Costs Board 12/-

Every patient treated in the Whangarci hospital cost the board 12/- a day, Mr Mac Kay said. The 6/- per day received under the Social Security scheme met only one third of the actual cost of maintaining a patient in the institution. ■’The more patients treated, the greater the liability of the board," Mr Mac Kay said. if costs continued to rise it would be foolish tc suggest that there might be a drop in levies in the future. Mr Mac Kay said. Confidence in Board Mr J. Morrison said he had the greatest faith in hospital board members and if they decided on expenditure he most certainly would not interfere. Councillor F. Elliott said that, as a member of the board, he would willingly take responsiblity for authorising the expenditure on the X-ray plant and the presses. A hospital had been provided that could cope with the needs of the district for many years to come, and the provision of the plant was essential. The chairman suggested that Councillor Elliott should express his opinion as a member of the council and not as a board member.

As a member of the council, Councillor Elliott said he felt the council should give the hospital board support in the matter under discussion.

Would Not Oppose Levy Expressing regret that the council had been called upon to Increase the levy on the ratepayers, Councillor T. Blake said that he realised that the care of the sick and suffering was one of the duties that had to be attended to, and so he was not opposing the levy. Confidence in the board members and their economical administration of the institution was expressed by Councillor Fesver.

The question was raised by Councillor Eliott as to what action the council took with the estimates, and the chairman explained that they could be received or, if any objections were raised, then these objections would be forwarded to the Minister for Health for his consideration. Estimates Received In moving that the estimates be received, Councillor Clarke said that, as the chairman had pointed out, the in crease was largely cue to increased salaries to the hospital staff. Councillor Clarke thought that the majority of ratepayers would not object to an increase for such a purpose. It was also desirable that an up-to-date X-ray plant should be installed at the hospital as this would benefit patients, some of whom how had to go to Auckland for examination, as the present plant was not capable of carrying through the work. Councillor Blake seconded the motion, which was supported by Councillors Powell and Smith, both of whom spoke of the need for an efficient X-ray plant.