UNPAID HOSPITAL MAINTENANCE FEES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21244, 27 January 1931, Page 6

UNPAID HOSPITAL MAINTENANCE FEES.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib, —Will you permit me to throw some light upon this obscure subject for the benefit of your correspondent, Mr R. S. Thompson, and the Tuapeka representative upon the Otago Hospital Board. You, Sir, have enlightened us to some extent in the footnote to Mr Thompson s letter that “ Members of friendly societies j are treated upon terms prescribed by the ; Hospital Board’s Association,” and this guarded statement implies that some concession is made by the Otago Hospital Board notwithstanding the assertion to the contrary by ite Tuapeka member, and ; we county ratepayers, who have to make good the bulk of that concession, naturally want to know what it really amounts | to annually. , , I Our difficulty is that these hospital I boards are a law unto themselves, and, i without let or hindrance from ratepayers ] have borrowed and spent on security of , our properties to an unconscionable ex- | tent, at the peak of cost, which can never j be redeemed, and it is highly necessary that ratepayers should have some say on the subject. We have been told on the highest authority that five to six beds have been provided for every thousand of our population. when the maximum in London is only one per ■ 1000, while it is less than that in any other European State. We are told also that the daily cost per bed has lately risen to 20s. while the cost chargeable to patients is only 0s or 10s, and one hospital has let the cat out of the bag” by stating that its charge for friendly society patients is 4s 6d per diem for adults and 2s 3d for children. , ... I give this last statement for what it is worth, and ask the hospital concerned to correct me and state their charge if I’m wrong. „ . My contention is that friendly society patients have no just right to claim any consideration, as the bulk of their members are better off than county ratepayers; and. further, that the treatment of 1 their members in hospital lately inaugurated, instead of in their own homes, has necessitated a large proportion of the enormous expense incurred within the last few years at the sole expense of the public, to provide for the influx of their members. They also possess ample reserves which can be drawn upon to pay their own debts instead of sponging upon county ratepayers, I blame the trustees of friendly societies for their passimony to the medical profession and hospitals —not the members. —I am, etc., ■ Ratepayer. TO EDITOR. Sir, —My attention has been drawn to a letter on unpaid hospital maintenance fees, which appeared in your issue of the 24th inst., signed by Mr R. S. Thompson. Your footnote to that letter is not correct. as no arrangement exists between the Otago Hospital Board and the Otago United Friendly Societies’ Council, under which members of friendly societies receive concessions in any shape or form.— I am, etc., J. K. Macfie, Secretary Otago U.F.S. Council. January 26. [The inaccuracy of the statement in the footnote is regretted. Negotiations that were entered into between the Hospital Board and the Friendly Societies’ Council were not completed.—Ed. O.D.T.]