SOCIAL SECURITY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23169, 15 October 1938, Page 15

SOCIAL SECURITY

PROPOSED HOSPITAL GRANT EFFECT ON BOARD FUNDS [from our own correspondent] HAMILTON. Friday A Teport on the Social Act was Submitted to the Waikato Hospital Board by the secretary, Mr. ,A. C. Burgess. Mr. Burgess stated that a payment at the rate of 6s a day would be made to hospital boards out of the fund, whereas the average of collections by boards was 2s 8d a day. This, however, did not take into account the amounts collected by way of bad debts recovered. The average collection of the board amounted to 4s 5d a day, and therefore the board would not "receive from the increased rate such a benefit as it was given to believe. Taking the figures of 1937-38 as a basis, Mr. Burgess said, the board would receive,, at the rate of 6s a day, an increase of £l2 831. ■* ' • On the basis of the levy for 1938-39, the saving to the ratepayers would be approximately £5133. However', the" additional revenue would tend to be cancelled out by the cost of provision and maintenance for additional . beds, increased cost of the out-patients' department. general rising costs and increase in wages for additional staffs.