HOSPITAL EXPENSES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18458, 23 July 1923, Page 9

HOSPITAL EXPENSES.

INCREASED STATE SUBSIDY, BEQUEST TO PREMIER"WOULD, Dp HIS BEST." Speaking as a member of the deputation from the hospital boards'" i confer! ence, which waited upon the Prime Min"Jter, Sir James Wiison stated' that the pound for pound subsidy' had been initiated by Sir Patrick EucklevVof the Seddon administration. Unfortunately, under the fourth schedule, the subsidy had fallen from £1 until tin's year *it threatened to.'go as low;' as '12s 3d, enabling the Government to save £100,000 a year. A bargain :■ had been made, under which the local authorities got;i certain • rights, but these were now taken away. .- : , '■• , Air. Massey: They have not been taken away. It is • automatic, in connection with the provisions of the Act,, of which the .-fourth schedule is a part. ; -. Sir James Wilson: Wo don't say you are the culprit. * v Mr. Massey: I am glad of J that, because I have sins enough to carry. (laughter.) ■-.-.- ';■}: /\ ■■ ° : • Sir James Wilson urged that there was no body of men who performed public service so well and, so willingly'. as the boards.- '.' We have rested on our oars (he said); we have never touched the money on which we had a claim. You admit the Dominion is in a better financial condition. What we ask is that, instead of sheltering behind the schedule, you will give us back our pound for pound." , Mr. Massey: You want legislation ?'';'.- Sir James Wilson: Yes. ,y ; . .' Mr. Massey: I have got to be careful. You must not • forget that, and you must not threaten. Sir James Wilson: The feeling is so strong in the country districts that 1 am sure the House will not delay, if you ■ s&y yon are the man to give it to US. Mi'. Massey: I am afraid you are not acquainted with the present House. Sir James Wilson: They are all very sensible men, although they may be of different political views. Th»y must know what the people want.,. Farmers' Difficulties. Mr. J. Stallwortlliy (Kaipara), while recognising that necessity had driven the Government to a careful administration of the finances, pointed out v that the farmers had suffered groat disabilities through the operation of the schedule. His county, ho said, had not yet completed the payment of their hospital levy for last year, because. they could not collect therrales., l es. The Governmen&. could tot carry on the administration of „ the hospitals as * cheaply as the boards were doing and it was now suggesting that the boards should take over the . sanatoria. No one could allege extravagance against the boards. They had* to get Government sanction for everything; and, if they were not economical, they were promptly checked. Mr. Stallworthy also dealt with the second request of the deputation, in regard to the qualification for membership of hospital boards of .directors of' companies which supplied hospitals with commodities. Two directors of the Empire Dairy Company, he pointed out, were members of his board, one of them, who was a lifelong member, hav- . ing been chairman for some years. They had acted in -the interests of the board and the ratepayers in saving large sums on the supply ,of butter. ■', Through their influence the. board had been able, by paying cash for their supplies, to benefit to the extent of 2d , per lb, or 8s per case, or 32s for their four weeks' bill, on the - price they had been paying. Because they did that, they discovered that the directors were disqualified, for membership, on! the board.' The directors were among the best and most public-spirited men tm. the district, \ and it was a : serious step to exclude them from public duty ■on : . a - hospital board. The : Counties and the Municipalities Acts _ had been amended to : ? remove this anomaly, and the deputation asked that the Hospitals Act rbe - amended in the '■ same direction, by simply omitting two or three words from section 20. o : ; " : " ' : ' A Sliding Scale. The Prime Minister stated that no reference had been made by the deputation to a sliding scale of subsidy. Mr. Otley (North Canterbury): The throe main centres should be on the same ■footing.'.;- .„. : „ -■','.' :: - : -,".',../ i'...-.ilie Prime Minister: There axe difficnl ties where there is a large native pcoulation - who do not - contribute in the same way as Europeans, and who must have '\ hospital accommodation". '■'■-:% believe there; muit be' something in tb<> way of a sliding ?!ale to provide for these districts. t; (Hear,. hear.) The > ■ difficulties of ..the hospital boards seemed to have arisen.,'he'added,,from the face that the 1909 Hospitals Act was somewhat obsolete, u' .Fluctuations of. the .;, population - - made' it unworkable, from the financial point of view. The Government would hot shirk its duty or responsibility.. Ac Minister for Finance, however, it was his duty to continue saving where .possible. There "were many applications to open the Treasury chest. V He \ could hardly i promise legislation this session, for a number of -reasons, but lie was inclined to think there should be legislation. Ho would : consult 'with hss colleagues in the Cabinet to see if it : was possible. He thought that; it would be possible to get legislation through this year. He would do his best,; and that was practically ail they,-were.asking., fyi- .■..-«-. .