HOSPITAL BOARD SUBSIDIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18293, 9 July 1921, Page 12

HOSPITAL BOARD SUBSIDIES

BASIS OF ALLOCATION. MR PARR’S WARNING. (From Oun Own Cobkkspondekt.) WELLINGTON, July 8. “I wish to sound a note of warning to local bodies in regard to a move that is now being made in regard to hospital subsidies,” said the Hon. C. J. Parr (Minister of Health) this afternoon. “As is well known,” ho continued, ‘‘the Government, appointed a commission to inquire into and report, inter alia upon the basis upon which subsidies should bo given by the Government out of the Consolidated Fund to hospital boards. This commission has made an inquiry into the various schemes laid before it, and has now reported to tho Government. The report of the commission is under consideration, and probably will he made public in a few days. In the meantime a circular has been sent nut by the Stratford Hospital Board, apparently to local bodies throughout, the dominion, soliciting support for the flat rate of subsidy. Any such course of action is, 1 think, quite improper until tho commission’s report has been considered and made public. Any attempt, to influence (be Government, whilst tho matter is still sub judico is quite out of order. Full opportunity was given to everyone to air their opinions before the commission, and that was the time when arguments in favour of any particular scheme should have been brought, forward.”

ihe Minister has already expressed his own view in Parliament, last session, to the effect that, tho flat rate would work out most inequitably. Some boards, ho said, were so well off that a rate of one-tenth of a penny in tho pound was sufficient for their purposes, while some poor districts had to inflict upon their ratepayers as high a rale as a penny farthing in Clio pound. “It seems to me,” said tho Minister, “that any further discussion or action might, well bo loft over until tho report of tho commission has been published.”