COST OF SOCIAL SERVICES

Taranaki Daily News, 23 November 1932, Page 6

COST OF SOCIAL SERVICES

APPEAL TO FACE THE FACTS

DEFENCE OF THE HOSPITALS BILL.

JUSTIFICATION OF COMMISSIONS.

MR. SMITH URGES MORE POWERS.

(By Wire.—Parliamentary Reporter)

Wellington, Last Nigh

The opinion that the country would have to face the position as far as the cost of social services in relation to national revenue was concerned was expressed by Mr. S. G. Smith, Coalition member for New Plymouth, when speaking oil the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives to-day. Replying to criticism of powers in the Bill concerning investigations by commissions into the necessity for institutions, Mr. Smith said assessments of borough boundaries and all sorts of other disputes were referred to magistrates to decide, and the same principle was embodied in the Bill. No magistrate would be swayed in his decisions by the views of the political party in power. Much had been said about one-man commissions, but provision was made for the appointment of two other commissioners to sit with a magistrate. If a hospital board had a good case for economical working surely it had no fear of going before any commission to state its position. Mr. Smith did not think the Bill went far enough. He was not in favour of willy nilly destroying social services, but they had to face the position. There were parts of New Zealand Where it would be better for the district concerned if there were some system of provincial control that cost less money. Before the Bill was passed provision should be made for closer investigations than were intended.

Objection had been expressed because of alleged powers that were to be given to commissioners, but it was laid down in the Bill that action was to be taken by the Government only on the recommendation of these commissions. At present the department might seek to impose its Will on a district, but under the Bill the department could not do anything unless the commission recommended accordingly.

Although there might be some institutions, even in his own district, which he would not like to see go,'Mr. Smith said it could not be overlooked that if the income of the country were to continue to fall the facts could not be shirked. Mr. Smith asked the Minister to give serious consideration to the suggestion that the position in any district should be first investigated on the spot and that the Government should not be content merely with the evidence of the heads of departments at Wellington.