HOSPITAL AFFAIRS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18454, 16 January 1922, Page 6

HOSPITAL AFFAIRS

THE £14,000 AWARD. DEPUTATION TO WELLINGTON. | Last week Dr Newlands, Mr A. F. Quelch, and J. Jacobs (secretary) went ns a deputation to Wellington from the Otago Hospital Board to place before politicians there the views and attitude of the board with reference to the £14,000 demanded from it ' in payment to the South Otago Board. The , deputation _ secured interviews with the. Prime Minister (Mr Massey), with the Hon. Mr Parr, and with the Health Committee of the House. They are fairly well satisfied with the result' of their trip and believe that they succeeded in impressing the mar jority of , the committee with' the fact that Otago hah a case for serious consideration. On Thursday morning the Otago delegates met delegates from the Auckland Board (Messrs Wallace, Rowe, and Potter), who agreed that) clause 16 of ( the amending Bill abolishing the liability of boards for the maintenance of patients from their districts in otheh: hospitals would be especially detrimental to Cfiago. It was afterwards inti- • mated that the clause_ of the Bill should be deleted, which is a distinct gain to Otago. Clause 2, giving the Minister the right of prior, - approval of all important appointments, is now to be very materially modified; as a result of the representations of ' the Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin 3" ' ’ itea. Matters will probably remain aa in the present Act. The Government may nominate one member to each of the hospital boards. v The -delegates were introduced ' to the Health Committee by Mr T. K. Sidey, who ’ gave them much assistance ‘during their visit. The committee consisted' of Mr Craigie (of Timaru), Colonel Mitchell, Dr Newman (who presided), and Messrs Parry and .Hockley. Mr Parr was also present, and-'Mr A. S. Malcolm watched the interests'• of‘4puth Otago. Mr Quelch spoke first arid -gave a clear and comprehensive statement of the Otago case against the cash payment- of £14,000, and afterwards an- • BWered a number of questions. In the afternoon Dr Newlands further presented Otago’s case, bat the delegates state that certain- noints that were evidently appredated by'members of the committee did not ecem to be grasped by the Minister. He insisted that if the Government paid the £14,000 it would be giving a double Subsidy ■ and could not be induced to admit 'that it would -be a subsidy for new buildings- in South Otago. Mr Parr earlier in the day, : when pressing his right to control over aphad made a strong point of the fact that the Government, on account of its subsidies,- was an equal partner with the Hospital' Board. This was later used with effect against him to show that the Government must be partner also in such liabilities as the on© under discussion. The delegation obtained a friendly and favourable. 15 minutes’ interview with Mr Matsoy, whose first words to them were a ■ warning that if they oame asking for money they would not get it. The delegates explained that that was not their purpose, and , Mr-Massey eventually promised to give careful 1 consideration to the case after consultation with Mr Parr., The delegates, who asked that the time for payment of the i grant by the Otago Board should be cx- ; tended from three to five years, pointed out ■ that tho Government subsidy - asked for i could be spread, over the same period. They were informed that consideration of the ' Hospital Act Amendment Bill will com© on