“DRASTIC ACTION” URGED

Taranaki Daily News, 22 December 1931, Page 4

“DRASTIC ACTION” URGED

TIME FOR CONFERENCE PAST THREAT OF FINANCIAL DISASTER. DR. CAMPBELL BEGG’S APPEAL. HOSPITALS’ GATHERING OPPOSED. By Telegraph.—Pros Association. Wellington, Last Night “The time for conferences and coni' missions has passed and if those who have the responsibility will not take drastic action on the information available without regard for political consequences, the Dominion has little chance of toeing saved from financial disaster, the threat of which becomes more ominous month by month,” declared Dr. Campbell Begg, a member of the Wellington Hospital Board, in. reply today to arguments in favour of a conference of hospital boards next February which, were advanced last week by Mr. W. Wallace, president of the Hospital Boards’ Association. • , 1 • Dr. Begg reiterated that the expenditure of £6OO to £BOO on a conference was not warranted. He questioned the contribution which . the proposed conference could make to the problems of unemployment and distress relief. : Dr. Begg said various hospital boards were permitted to send 64 voting delegates, while others without voting power could attend. At the conference in Palmerston North in 1929 there were 57 board members, 30 board secretaries, eight medical superintendents and five officers of the Department of Health apart from the Minister of Health. The total attendance was 101 and all expenses were paid by hospital boards or from Government funds. Local expenses were presumably met to some extent-by the Hospital Boards’ Association, which during laet financial year secured for its activities £824 from board funds and £lOO as a Government grant. “The conference lasted three day* and all hotel and travelling expenses for delegates-were met from public funds,” said Dr. Begg. “The conference. proposed for Timaru next year will be similar in composition, anti although possibly there will be fewer delegatee the cost can be hardly less than £6OO or £700.” Dr. Begg added that the secretaries and superintendents would probably confer on routine hospital matters while the board delegates would have 50 or 60 remits to consider, many of which would be of a minor nature. “It is doubtful if any complete national and constructive propositions will be submitted, and it is certain that if these involve the dissolution of about 25 boards they will not be passed,” said Dr. Begg, “yet all authorities, including officers of the Health Department, realise that this step is one of the first essentials in the reform of the hospital system. Some of the remits will involve the expenditure of mor* money if they are carried.” I The standing executive of the Ho*pital Boards’ Association included representatives of the main hospitals, Dr. Begg said. This body was sufficiently representative and should be more effective as an advisory body than any conference if its members were prepared to take the onus of their decisions. If the executive had failed to bring forward practical scheme* for a reduction in expenditure no conference would be likely to do better. “I hope Mr. Wallace will endeavour to have this conference cancelled,” Dr. Begg said, “and will use th® ordinary mechanism of the association to bring forward proposals on vital questions.”