THE PEOPLE'S SAVINGS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21868, 2 August 1934, Page 13

THE PEOPLE'S SAVINGS

Sir, —Your anonymous correspondent wants to know if a person, through old age or some other cause, is unable to earn a living, what allowance such person would get from the Hospital Board. If a person is old and poor, why hasn't that person got the old-age pension? A lot of the old people lose their pension through their own indiscretions, and many a "blackguarding" I have got from some old hardened sinner who, through his own folly, has lost his pension, and then expects us to grant him a like amount. Each case for relief is taken on its merits, and the board is doing a wonderful work among the sick, the aged and the poor. We have a great institution in our infirmary at Epsom. Wo have a good nursing staff out there, comprising 65 of the finest nurses to be found in any institution. Under Dr. Maguire as medical superintendent and Miss Wade, lady superintendent, the old people in our district are being cared for in the best possible way. I want to ask your correspondent if all these people put there, after passing through the hands of the Relief Committee, are not getting more than the old-age pension? They are getting double. How about those who are not old, but have to go to our sanitoriums, who would bo classed by your scribe as "any other reason than old age," for whom the cost runs into over £3 per week. Is that more than tlio old-age pension? They all pass through the Relief Department. Ten thousand and over sick people passed through the hospital last year, for an average of 20 days, each getting the best medical skill and nursing to be got anywhere in the Dominion. Twelve shillings per day does not cover the cost of their care and treatment, but on an average only one-third of this is ever collected. The only sensible thing in "Query's" letter is where he reiterates with blame-like simplicity what has been said a hundred times before, that "one of the greatest crimes ever committed was when Is 9d per week was taken off old-age pensions." "Query" must be hard to enlighten, but really he ought to do a little thinking for himself. W. K. Howixt.