HOSPITAL BOARD ESTIMATES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18540, 28 April 1922, Page 2

HOSPITAL BOARD ESTIMATES

SUM REQUIRED £45,000. The estimates for ihe year ending March 51, 1923, were laid before the Otago Hospital Board at its meeting last evening. The following table as to maintenance show,, the actual payments made last year and the estimated payments this year: , Aetna! Estimated Payments, Payments.' 1921-1922. 1922-1923, Hospital maintenance £87,902 111 £72,000 0 0 Charitable Aid—indoor 6.039 1 6 7,000 0 0 Outdoor 7,915 5 1 9,000 0 0 Administration 4,788 9 9 5,900 0 C Amounts paid to other boards and .separate institutions ' 904 0 7 1,609 0 0 Rent, rates, taxes, and interest 881 6 0 1,200 0 0 Miscellaneous payments - University, , £1050; refund 0. A. P., £364 11s 4d; St. John Ambulance Association, £250; , radium, £l7O 14s l(ld; sundries, £43 1,877 8 2 3,348 1 9 Repayment of capital moneys used for maintenance purposes ! 16,283 16 3 Mr Quelch (chairman of the Finance Committee) said they had before them the proposed estimates and the capital expenditure for the year. Some little time ago, in going through the accounts, it was thought that they . would probably require £45,000 for the year, and 1 in his opinion they would be well advised to leave it at that. Last year they had had the ordinary levy without capital expenditure and with the benefit of a supplementary levy. Of course, although there was no capital expenditure, they must remember that they had a little reserve. That had to be made up out of supplementary levy, and so they had had capital expenditure last year though no special levy was made for it. This year they proposed to levy a small amount for capital expenditure. There waa certain revenue that could not be expected to come up to what it was last year. There were then fees from soldiers, and there was every prospect of things being pretty bad. The class of people going to the Benevolent and to the Hospital was not able to pay fees. So taking all things into consideration he thought they would require £45,000 to allow for a margin of commented on the fact that Mr Talboys (chairman of the Benevolent Committee) seemed to be content with an extra thousand pounds for outdoor relief. He thought that certainly verified Air Quelch’s idea of sailing close to, the wind. He was glad to see some provision made for the kitchen. Tho Chairman (Mr W. E. S. Knight) said that the £45,000 this year was an increase of £4732 on last year, but they had to take into consideration the payment to the South Otago Board of £2527. TTiere was therefore an increase of only £2405. Mr Talboys said that the Benevolent Institution was going to cost considerably more than lost year. There were between 20 to 25 more cases there. ... Mr, Quelch then moved that the estimates submitted be approved of, and the motion was carried. ... . It may be mentioned that the £45»000 is made up of £39,115, for maintenance and £5885 capital expenditure.