HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12072, 16 September 1902, Page 6

HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT.

SOME COMPARISONS FAVOURABLE TO AUCKLAND. At the meeting of the Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board yesterday Mr. C. .1. Garland referred to the report of Mrs. Xeill, assistant-inspector of hospitals, on the Auckland Hospital for the past year, as just issued in the annual Government returns. The figures showed that during the year ended March 31 last the Auckland Hospital had received £4497 in Government subsidy, as compared with £6584 for Christchnrch, £9484 lor Wellington, and £3393 for Dunedin. The revenue from rates at Auckland had been £4497, as against £5624 at Christchnrch, £5950 at Wellington, and £2950 at Dunedin. The amounts received at Auckland in bequests and voluntary subscriptions totalled £112, as against £2444 at Wellington. The total'receipts from all sources were:—Wellington, £26,368; Christdvurch, £13.233; Auckland, £12.411: Dunedin, £8162. [The provision of £6900 and £4000 respectively for an incurables' home and nurses' home at Wellington is included in the large total for the h.-spital in that city. | At a later stage of the meeting the Chairman (Mr. .1. Srichbury) gave home quotations from i return compiled by Mr. F. J. Da vies (secretary to the Wellington Hospital trustees), and dealing with the comparative cost of hospital administration in the four large New Zealand centres during the year ended March last. This return, the. Chairman said, showed that the Auckland Hospital compared most favourably with the hospitals at Wellington, Cliristchurch, and Dunedin. After quoting figures as to co«t of maintenance, already published in the Hkbaid, he said if they looked at die cost of administration, as compared with the total expenditure, Auckland was again the lowest, the percentages being-: Auckland, 27.80; Dunedin, 30.62; Wellington, 34.75; Ohristdniroh, 41.08. The amounts recovered in tees from patients were as follows:—Auckland, £3192; Wellington, £2633; Dunedin, £1223; Cliristchurch, £930. These figures showed, said the Chairman, that Auckland was either more prosperous or they had a very live Fees Committee here. The returns as to the target items of expenditure also showed, on the whole, that the Auckland Hospital, whilst there was no stinting of any kind, was economically managed. The following items were quoted, the figures given first in each case being those for Auckland, and the succeeding amounts those for Wellington, Christchnrch, and Dunedin respectively:—Rations, £2802, £3546, £2366, £2450; fuel and lighting, £922, £1152, £1311, £1027; surgery and dispensary, £1642, £1214, £919, £633; salaries and wage's, £3131, £4455, £3986, £2552; wines and spirit--, £178, £134, £103, £182; repairs, £366 £667. £171, £469. The comparisons were regarded by the Board as very satisfactory, and the Chairman said that .such a result was undoubtedly due to the faot that such competent officials wore in charge of the Auckland Hospital.