HOSPITAL FINANCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21049, 7 December 1931, Page 8

HOSPITAL FINANCE.

large deficit expected. SUM OF £50,000 MENTIONED. INCREASED LEVY HINTED. j £7OOO A MONTH ON RELIEF. "I do not see how the board can finish the financial year with a deficit of less than £50,000," said Mr. W. Wallace, chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board, on Saturday, in referring to the heavy burden placed on the board outdoor relief. Tho modified system of rationing work under the No. 5 unemployment scheme merely meant that more responsibility was to be placed on the board, ho said. Outdoor relief during tho past eight months had cost the board £55,000, the present rato being about £7OOO a month, Mr. Wallace continued. Tho amount on tho estimates for tho whole year was £46,500. An advance against subsidy was to be given by tho Government, but this would have to bo recovered next year. "Wo strongly disapprove of it." said Mr. Wallace, "and we will be compelled to increaso tho hospital levy. It ,js against tho whole policy of tho board, but I can sco nothing clso for it. "As far as tho hospital itself is concerned wo have spent £BI,OOO during the past oight months, tho amount on the estimates for tho year being £105,000," Mr. Wallaco said. "Tho balance will not cover our requirements for tho rest of tho year. Estimates wore forced upon us which tho board knew would not cover tho expenditure, but notwithstanding our protests wo had to agree to them or our subsidy would have been withhold. Within tho next three or four months wo expect to sec the effects of the economies wo have made at the hospital." Mr. Wallace said that through the unemployment situation tho vitality of the people was being lowered. The sum of £3OOO was placed on tho estimates for sanatorium treatment and £4280 had been expended during the past eight months. Fortunately there had been very little infectious disease, and the scarlet fever ward had been closed for the past two months. Patients in tho hospital at the present time numbered about 625. There were always fewer patients at Christmas, he said, as peoplo preferred to defer operations and liked to be in their own homes. Mr. Wallaco left for Wellington last evening to attend a meeting of tho executive of the Hospital Boards' Association. While there he will draw the department's attention to the seriousness of the board's financial position and will also confer with the chairman of the Unemployment Board regarding tho rationing of work.