BOARD V. LODGES.

Observer, Volume XXIV, Issue 27, 19 March 1904, Page 2

BOARD V. LODGES.

A Sacrifice of Revenue.

THB Hospital Board has decided to perform an operation of self-

mutilation. It will cut off its nose in order to spite its face. Because some members of friendly societies are men in a position to pay the full fees for hospital treatment, it insists that all lodge members must do so. Accordingly, it has resolved to cancel the arrangement which has been in force for some time, under which the Friendly Societies' Conference has paid only half the ordinary rates for any adult patients whom it sent to the hospital, and quarter fees for children. From the beginning of next month, Conference patients and public patients are to stand on the same footing.

At first hearing this seems fair enough. But in point of fact such distinction as has been made hitherto between the Conference patient and the average patient has been all against the lodge member. From the general public the Board has only been getting fees at the rate of a shilling and a fraction per head per day, because large numbers pay nothing at all. The friendly societies have undertaken the payment of twice this sum, and that without any expense to the Board in collecting. They have, iv reality, made themselves a collecting machine for the Board in regard to a particular class of patients. Apparently, however, the Board does not thank them for relieving it of trouble, and for bringing in revenue that would otherwise, in many cases, not be collected — on the principle that neither the Board uor anybody else can take the breeks oft a Highlandraan. In this respect the Board's action .looks very unwise, and that is a matter which materially concerns the ratepayers whom it represents.

To the friendly societies, the cancelling of the arrangement is not so much a matter of concern as it would have been some time ago. Most of them — all in Auckland but the Foresters and Rechabites, to be precise — are affiliated to the Medical Institute that was established last year. They have medical officers who give their whole time to the treatment of lodge patients, and have not the temptation to shunt troublesome patients into the hospital that was always present to the private practitioner who contracted with a friendly society. It was largely the burden in the way of hospital fees that was entailed upon their members through the shuffling of contract surgeons that led the lodges to make the Arrangement with the Board which is now coming to an end. As the societies have reduced that burden in another way, they were almost indifferent as to the continuance of the so-called concession. It is the Board and the ratepayers, therefore, that will suffer most.

One point that seemed to trouble members of the Board was the fact that men in comfortable circumstances are members of friendly societies, and as such are entitled to the concession. But the number of such men is in absurdly small proportion to the total strength of the societies. Generally it happens that, being the most capable business men in the lodges, they are those entrusted with the work of management, and ro are most in evidence to the general public. This, in turn, leads to a wrong impression as to the general class of men who fortify themselves by friendly society insurance. As a matter of fact, the great bulk of them are people of modest

means, banded together to help each other in times of adversity. The others take up the work, in many cases, out of sheer enthusiasm for such philanthropic institutions. The insinuation that they . sponge on the hospital in time of sickness is an insult to many of these worthy lovers of their fellowraen. There may be isolated exceptions, but what we have just stated is certainly the rule.