SOLDIERS IN HOSPITAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16123, 11 January 1916, Page 9

SOLDIERS IN HOSPITAL.

QUESTION OF CHARGES. UNIFORM SCALE SUGGESTED. AUCKLAND BOARD ADOPTS IDEA. The charges made by the various Hospital Boards on the Government for the cost of the treatment in hospitals of sick and bounded soldiers were briefly discussed at the ordinary meeting of the Auckland Hospital Board last evening. The InsnectorGeneral of Hospitals, Dr. T. H. A. Valintine. wrote stating that there was no uniform, charge made by all the hospitals in respect to the matter. In some cases 6s Per day was charged, and in others ss, whilst one board admitted soldiers at the W-t« of £1 per week. The board was asked "it wou'.d agree to a uniform charge be'nß made to the Government of 5s per day or all soldiers when in hospital. It was •ogKeated in the letter that the arrangement would produce a greater revenue 'ban if the charge were made to a civilian, a he board would understand that only a sma:l proportion of civilian fees were Paid, whereas in this case the full fee *°«'.d, he paid by the. Govern merit. The chairman, Mr. M. J. Coyle, said the board had been told by the Minister '<-' .Public Health, the Hon. G. W. Russell, that the Government would accept the full responsibility for the cost of treatment of all soldiers in the hospital, and if- the Government intended to pay, he —the chairman—considered that it should P ; -y the exact cent of the treatment or attention win, the soldiers received.

Mr. P. M- Maekay thought the offer of the Government was a fair one, and he "loved that the board agree with the Suggestion for a uniform charge of 5s per day ■Mr. P. ,1. Nerheny seconded the motion. ■He said that the soldiers were not being accommodated in the main building. They v 'ere in a building that had been lent to the board. That, to his mind, was one reason why the board could afford to accede to the Inspector-General's idea. Die motion, which received the support of several other members, was adopted.