HOSPITAL FINANCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14213, 14 May 1908, Page 2

HOSPITAL FINANCE

SEPARATING THE FUNDS. A special meeting of tho Hospital Trustees was hold yesterday afternoon, there being present—Messrs S. Solomon (chairman), J. Loudon, .1. X. Brown, J. Mill, M. Stevenson, und Dr liatelielor. 'i'he Chairman explained that the object, of the meeting was (o consider tho question of finance, and more especially with regard to the allocation of the funds they bad unexpended at the end of the financial year nut belonging to the general account of tho Hospital. Tlicy hail made application to the Hospital Board for a grant for liiaintt'inanei) for tlio ensuing year for £11,000, ami that application had not been decided by tho Hospital Board. The board still had that matter under consideration, and ' the trustees hoped the application would he granted. TWir expenses would l:e ft few hundred poundfl more than their estimate, hut several of tlio trustees worn members of the Hospital Board, and it was net necessary to do more than mention the matter. Tito expenditure of tho Hospital in tho year to ooine and in the past had been most closely scrutinised by several members, and thoy all felt satisfied that it was impossible to place a finger upon any expenditure in the past that had not been necessary, and had tried to rcduoo the expenditure for tho future, and had found, after caroful examination, that there wa* nothing that could be reduced. /There wore things absolutely necessary to be done to place the Hospital in tho j>osition it was necessary it Rliould bo placed in, and they did not think the ainoupt was ,mueJi larger than tafore. Any inereftßc was not due to tlio fact that they wcro spoil ding more money, but ,that in tho past less money was mot than should have been got ( the result of which had been that tho institution seemed to have been run economically. Tlio accumulation of years had now been thrown upon tho shoulders of tho trustees for repairs and alterations that wore absolutely essential. In addition to tlie money claimed they wero informed. by Air Wales (the ir.chitect) and 11 , ? rr ' son (1° professional gentleman wiled in) that tho steam apparatus of tho Hospital had got into such a condition that it was to a large oxtent useless, and in order to plaoo it in proper condition, so that a reasonable result might bo obtained ; rotu it was necessary to .spend £2000 to iZSOO. Somo members of the board , apparently thought the trustees were unreasonable, ami that thoy 1 w<iro asking for moro than was necessary, but t.hero°wero things neccssary to bo done to placc tho .Hospital on a proper footing. Ho suggested that thoy should acquaint tho Hospital Board with tho fact that, the architcct thought ..these things should ho done ami send figures along. Tho responsibility would then bo upon tho board to say mi C 6° r< ?P alT3 diould be done' or not. Tlio immediate question wait that tho funds standing to the credit of the labora■F, a S COllni i Vld 10 t} '° credit of tho Hospital Saturday acooimt, instead of beini? Tliiied up with tho general account, should each bo placed to a separate bank account, inis matter had been considered hy tho l majico Committeo the previous day and the comiuittoo_ was of opinion that (lie state of affairs into which tho Hospital had twl f W f Tl d,w t0 thc fa ct that, those funds, which had been subscribed lor purposes, wero not kept to separate account Mr Sfcovenson said ho, as a trusfpf* rliA not think £11,000 was required for mainte nance. Ho jyanted that, made clcar. Iho Chairman replied that all the Mm, except the chairman of the Hospi o ' u " Mr Stevenson: I beg your pardon. Dr JThe Chairman said the Finance Com- , mittee recommended tho trustees to place 11 1 in'?' t of a bank account, to bo iS .» la ] ) ? rat ? r y ,<»*■" the amount £857) standing to the credit of tho laboratory account, and. place to the credit of an account,^ to be called "Hospital Saturday afoM b f T1 !? lr , plication for ill,ooo had apparently been before the board s l'mance Committee the' other day and tho trustees had received a letter to the effect that the trustees be asked to send m an amended, requisrtion showing details of separate claims, in time for a special meotm R °f the board's committeo on the i? . ln f- Tlle Finance Committeo of thc Hospital Trnstees had passed a resolution that it, was still of opinion that £11000 was actually required for maintenance, etc. ' Mr Brown said he had suggested tho sp'parato accounts years ago, and his idea was never given effect to. He moved that tho recommendation of tho Finance Committee bo adopted. ,Mr Loudon seconded the motion, and said ho was satisfied they would bo able to show that £11,000 was the amount required. He thought they, as trustees, should stick to that. The sum of £903 taken from thc Hospital Saturday collection would have to bo Tepaid, or tho collection would fall £11,000, if thoy found they did not require it, their Tcqitisition for tho succeeding year would he reduced accordingly. Mr Mill contended that it was necessary for this airjount to be placed at tho disposal of the Hospital. Be was confident it would • bo rcquirpd. . Mr Stevenson disagreed with the resolution, and disputed tho allegation that the laboratory account showed a credit of £857. Ho contended that the books, which they must go by, showed a credit of £318. As to the Hospital Saturday account, instead of the amount being £966 it was £946. The Hospital Board would bo quite right in refusing tho £11,000, as the'trustees would not require moro than £9000 for the year. Ho would point out that, last year tho children's ward was closed up altogether, and that took away many of thc patients. Ho knew he was alone in tho position lie took up, but he was qirtto confident that his contention was correct. Ho would be the last to ask the trustees to starve the Hospital, but it was not tho .place of tlio board to grant a penny moro than was sufficient to run tho institution. Dr Baiohelor said ho was not going to take np a lot. of t.imo going into details. Tho main point wan whether £9000 was safficion-f: for maintenance: Ho had given as much.time to the question as Mr Stevenson, and had come to the conclusion that they couldl not do with less than £10,000, and Mr Loudon jrtado ifc £11,000. Last iypar tho maintenance was £8000, and now it was jumped to £11,000. That was easily nndoistood. Lost year the trustees had taken £1000 from the Hospital Saturday funds, and they should have a least used that for Hospital mamtonanco. . That £1000 brought tlio £8000 up to £9000, and thev had 30 extra pecjplo to provide for, which inado another thousand pounds, and gave a total of £10,000. He thought Mr Stevensou- would fmd them not so very far out after all. Tho Chairman Raid ho had no fault to find wifli Mr Stevenson, except that Iris jhtorest was more bound up in thc Hospital Board ;than it was in tho trustees. That ■waa natural. He gave Mr Stevenson orrxlit for not wislring to starve the institution, but thoro was once, a man on a jury who thought all the other 11 jurymen tho most obstinate men in tho workl becauso they cotild not see as ho did. They thought if thoy wero only to get. £9000 they would be compelled to starve tlio institution. If tho board save them £11,000. and had given them £2COO moro than thoy wanted, the board would bo in _ a position to say, "There, you see. Didn't I say so," and thc £2000 woold stand to the credit of tho board. If the board took tlio other cou-rso tho institution would bo starved all tlio year. • The motion tliat the recommendation of tho Finance Committee bo adopted was tben carried, Mr Stevenson alono ing;At the suggestion of tlio Chairman, it was resolved that thc report by Mr Wales and Mr Morrison bo forwarded to the Hospital Board along with the requisition. Mr Stevenson: I say make your application for maintenance and repairs and plant separate. The Chairman: I do not think anything will be gained by further discussion. Dr B.itchelor wished to move that donations, bequests, and subsidies connected therewith, received by tho trusloos, lie allocated for Hospital improvement or paid into the building fund, nut it was decided tliat tho matter bo hold over until the other question was disposed of.