BOROUGH AND HOSPITAL

Taranaki Daily News, 19 July 1933, Page 9

BOROUGH AND HOSPITAL

COUNCIL VOICES APPREHENSION. CONSIDERATION BY COMMITTEE. “The Borough Council views with apprehension the increase in the hospital levy and suggests that means be sought to reduce expenditure.” That resolution was received yesterday by the Stratford Hospital Board from the Borough Council. It promoted a general discussion during which it was suggested that the salary of the medical superintendent (Dr. D. Steven) be reduced from £585 a year to £5OO. While members of the board considered it was advisable to explore possible avenues of ecenomy several re- -; . fused to support a motion that the salary be reduced and favoured an amendment appointing a sub-committee to inquire into the possibilities of reducing expenditure. - - “The doctor’s salary is the- only one we can reduce; his is a part-time job and we could gdt a permanent man,for the amount we; are paying him,” Mr. L. Bunn said. ' Mr. J. Cormick quoted the salaries received by the, nurses and stated that he considered the sums, were top low . as. they stood, now, . . ' ’ ‘ . ' “I’ve noticed that when Dr. Steven was.on holiday and we have had a,, locum in. charge the expenses in connection with operations have been much higher,” ' said the chairman , (Mr. W. L. Kennedy) in support -of his statement that a permanent man at a comparatively low salary might easily not mean a reduction in costa. “We don’t want all this in the Press,” the chairman remarked. :■ Mr. Cormick: We should be fain >to the Press. This practice of telling the reporters to take only certain matter is becoming too common-throughout Taranaki. If we do not want the Press to report a discussion we should go Utto committee. ’ ■ . ' ' _ ■ "Then if we- are going- to -do -that I will have to insist on a motion before we discuss a matter in ;futurc and stop these desultory discussions which do not reflect the true opinion of the meeting,” the chairman replied. Mr. Cormick thought a sub-committee, should be set up to. go into the question of effecting economies. “If the council knew how we have kept costs down it would not ask us to economise,” said the chairman. “The ; contributing bodies in our district are fortunate that they are not in some other hospital districts.” Mr. Cormick: The council merely asks if it is possible to reduce expenses. - Mr. Bunn: I have no time for this ; committee business. We might as well deal with the matter at the full board meeting.' I move we cut the doctor’s salary to £5OO.

Mrs. M. T. Phillips seconded. . “We want to be fair about this and I will move an amendment that a subcommittee be appointed to consider reducing the doctor’s salary and any other ways in which economies could be made,” Mr. Cormick said. The chairman read the Borough Council’s letter again. Mr. Bunn: We will have to reply to it. Are you simply going to tell them that we are keeping expenses down to the best of our ability?

The chairman: That is all I intend to tell them. Mr. G. P. Harkness seconded the amendment pro forma and remarked that Dr. Steven had raised the hospital to its present state of efficiency. "If you go on with this you. do not know what you might plunge into,” he added. The amendment was carried. .