LOCAL BODIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25050, 14 November 1944, Page 7

LOCAL BODIES

DOMINION'S SYSTEM HOSPITAL BOARD VIEWS Recommendations to be forwarded to the Hospital Board's Association for presentation to the Select Committee on Local Government were adopted last night by the Auckland Hospital Board. The committee was recently appointed by the Government "to examine and report upon all phases of the local government system in the Dominion, including questions of finance, elections, and the general structure of the system." The board affirmed that the present system and framework of local hospital boards should be maintained, but should be improved bv greater decentralisation of control, with more freedom to make decisions, or to implement them. It was not in favour of the abolition o( hospital boards. It favoured the continuance of the present system of electing members and did not approve of proposals that local bodies should have the right of direct representation on hospital boards. Expenditure on Buildings The opinion was expressed by the board that since the burden of taxation on local authorities was largely occasioned by the capital payments involved for the large hospital building expansion necessary throughout the Dominion, which had been accentuated by the social security legislation, the Government should be responsible for all capital expenditure, leaving the administration and maintenance of institutions in the hands of the hospital boards. It was recommended that the Government make every endeavour to expedite the fiveyear building proposals on this basis. Opposition to hospital boards levvinp rates direct on ratepayers, instead of making levies on local authorities, was expressed in another recommendation. The need was emphasised for greater attention by the Government to the extension of preventive measures, such as the establishment of medical clinics, community health centres, X-ray of schoolchildren, followed by remedial treatment, adequate physical training for youth, and the provision of health camps. Question of Tuberculosis Another recommendation was that pulmonary tuberculosis, when contracted by any member of a hospital staff whose duties involved contact with tuberculosis patients or infected material, should be declared an occupational disease under the Workers' Compensation Act. Active steps bv the Government to promote an educational and training scheme for hospital administrative officers were urged, i It was maintained that the Government should accept full financial responsibility for the treatment of tuberculosis, which had become a national problem; should establish rest homes, away from mental institutions, for the care of persons suffering from mental infirmities arising from age or decay of the faculties; and should accept the responsibility for the care of aged or destitute persons. The board also affirmed that hospital boards should be relieved of any obligation to provide accommodation, grants of money, food or other requisites for such persons. BALLET SEASON NEW PROGRAMME OPENS One of the best-known of all ballets, Ichaikowsky's "Swan Lake," headed the third programme of the Borovansky Ballet, which was presented at His Majesty's Theatre for the first time last night. Judged by the sustained applause accorded this work, "Swan Lake" will probably prove to be the most popular ballet in the company's repertoire. Edna Busse made an enchanting queen of the swans, while Serge Bousloff imparted just the right air of romanticism to the role of her princely lover. Much of the success of last night's performance was due to the particularly fine work of the corps de ballet. Less attractive was the music. The haunting melodies of Tchaikowsky, as transcribed for the piano, were but pale shadows of their orchestral selves. Robbed of its gliding violins and the plaintive piping of the oboe, the music iost much of its appeal. Yet such was the standard of the performance on the stage that this lack was not as obvious as it might have been. Strongly contrasting with "Swan Lake" was "En Saga," a ballet of more esoteric appeal. To Sibelius' music, redolent of Finland's vast brooding stillness. was enacted a story of "soldiers from the wars returning," the choreography being by Laurel Martyn, who interpreted the leading role. For sustained atmosphere. "Sea Legend." which followed, was a most attractive presentation. The programme concluded, as it had begun, with the lilting melodies of Tchaikowsky. "Capriccio Italien" was a gay, ebullient scena dealing with a little fishing village on the sunny Mediterranean coast. Here, for the only time during the evening, the audience saw Edonard Borovansky, who delighted them with a caricature of an absurd toy-soldier officer. RESERVE BANK RETURN STERLING £213,856 LOWER (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Monday The Reserve Bank return for the week ended Monday, November 6, with variations in the figures compared with those in the previous week's statement, is as follows: —

LIABILITIES £ £ Variation General reserve . 1,500,000 Same Bank notes 3S.0S2.259 +159.S57 Demand liabilities — State .. 10,308,991 +844,203 Banks 24.77S.420 -579,147 Other 565,914 -499,675 Other currencies 46.005 +30,530 Other liabilities 2.044.861 +4,475 Total 77.326.550 -39.751 ASSETS Reserve— Gold 2,801,877 Same Sterling ex. .. 3i.520.S09 -213.856 Subsidiary coin .. 81.989 +51.251 Advances— Marketing — Same Other 2o,S8o,000 Same Investment 11,737.114 Same Other assets 2,299,761 +122,854 Total 77.326,550 -39,751 Proportion of reserve to notes and other demand liabilities, , 50.554 per cent (50.834 last week). The principal items in this week's return are compared with those at. the corresponding dale last year in the following table:— (OOO's omitted) 1944 1943 Variation £ £ £ Notes 3S,0f?2 34,705 +3.377 Deposits— State .. 10,309 18,651 -8,342 Banks .. 24.77S 26,798 -2,020 Exchange 34.521 29,216 + 5.305 Advances — Marketing — 1,432 -1,432 Other 25,885 37,735 -11.850 Ratio (per cent) 50.554 39.617 + 10.937