HOSPITAL FEES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14235, 4 December 1909, Page 7

HOSPITAL FEES.

FRIENDLY SOCIETY PATIENTS.

A REJECTED PROPOSAL.

[BY TELEGRAm.—PRESS ASSOCIATION'.]

Wellington, Friday. When in clause 72 in the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Bill, providing that hospital boards may make agreements for special terms as to the maintenance in hospitals of members of friendly societies, came on for consideration in the Legislative Council this afternoon, Dr. Collins took strong exception to it, holding that it ought rover to have been in the Bill. The honorary medical staff were always willing, he said, to give their services for relief of the sick, but they did not want to see the hospitals made institutions for any special class.

Mr. Sinclair agreed that the clause ought not to be retained.

Mr. Samuel objected to friendly societies, or any other body, being treated exceptionally under this Bill.

Mr. G. J. Smith held that the members of the medical profession and of the friendly societies should endeavour to come to some understanding in the matter.

Mr. Callan raid if members of friendly societies weie compelled to go to hospital the society would pay for them.

Mr. MiGowan said the clause would mean the foisting of the friendly societies' chronic cases on to the hospitals and charitable institutions.

Mr. Baldey considered the clause exceedingly unfair to the doctors.

Mr. Luke said if friendly society patients were .admitted to the hospitals under the provisions of this clause .the hospitals could not expect to continue to receive the support from the medical profession they now received.

Dr. Findlay said no body of men had shown more sturdy independence than the friendly societies, and the clause was not intended to offer them better conditions, but to place in the coffers of the boards a larger sum than at present. At present more than a third of the members of friendly societies in hospital paid nothing, because they were unable to pay, and this clause would procure payment for such patients. If the clause enabled arrangements to be made between friendly societies and hospital boards to pay something for every member in the hospitals, surely that was a good bargain. It was offering no special advantages at all.

Mr. Sinclair 6aid that, so far from being a good bargain for the hospitals, it would be the very worst bargain that could be made. It put the whole thing down on a money basis, which was contrary to the spirit of the Act.

Mr. Paul said he could see no wrong in looking at the financial side of the arrangement. The clause would benefit the poorer classes.

Mr. Beehan said when they considered the amount of money the friendly societies were saving the country it would be admitted that the clause would not give them half they deserved.

Dr. Collins, to test the question, moved to delete the opening words of the clause.

On a division the amendment was carried by 18 votes to 13, and the clause was struck out.

The following is the division-list:—

Against the Amendment: Dr. Findlay, Messrs. Rigg, Jenkinson, Beehan, Loughnan, Kelly, Mills, Trask, Paul, Jones, Tucker, McCardle, Anstey.

For the Amendment : Messrs. Callan, Luke, Carncross, Gilmer, Baillie, Collins, Marshall, Johnston, Miller, G. J. Smith, Stevens, George, McLean, .Thompson, Wigram, McGowan, Sinclair, and Samuel.

A new clause was inserted, on the motion of the Attorney-General, to the effect that teachers and students of medical schools are to be entitled to access to institutions under the control of the hospital boards.

A further new clause was inserted, providing for a union of hospital districts.

The Bill was' reported with amendments, read a third time, and passed.