HOSPITAL FINANCES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21164, 22 April 1932, Page 10

HOSPITAL FINANCES.

WAIKATO BOARD'S ESTIMATES INCREASED LOCAL BODY LEVY. [from ortl OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] HAMILTON, Thursday. A special meeting of tlio Waikato Hospital Board was held to-day to consider the estimates for the current year. Mr. J. J. Ryburn presided. The treasurer, Mr. E. G. Johnson, reported that, the net maintenance requirements of the hoard for the current, year amounted to £48,747 and the capital requirements to £5163, a total of £53.910. If the board received from the Government, the subsidy to which it was entitled in accordance with the Hospitals Act the position would be as follows: — Maintenance subsidy, at, approximately 17s in the pound, £22,388; levy, £26,358. In addition, the capital subsidy sought was £2581, the levy for estimated capital expenditure being £2581. Tho total levy on local bodies would amount to £28,940, an increase of £1156, or 4 per cent., compared with last year's levy. Tho secretary reported that he had telegraphed to the Minister of Health asking if tho hospital boards would be refunded the amount expended last year on the relief of the unemployed during (hp stand-down week. The Minister had replied that ho regret led there was no possibility of a refund being made. It was staled tin t last year's levy was £8561, or 23 per cent., less than for the previous year. The levy this year would have been the same as last year had it not been for tho amount spent by the board on unemployment relief. The estimates were adopted and the following motion, proposed by Mr. \V. It. Lowry, was carried by eight votes lo five: —"That the Government bo asked to assist the board to tho extent that no increase in tho levy shall be made this year and that the board be refunded the amount expended on unemployment relief, and that the Unemployment Board bo urged to assume immediate responsibility for unemployment relief."