HOSPITAL BOARDS LEFT LAMENTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19107, 27 June 1930, Page 6

HOSPITAL BOARDS LEFT LAMENTING.

ACCOUNTS NOT PAID IN ACCIDENT CASES.

(Special to the “ Star.”) WELLINGTON, June 27.

The necessity for amending legislation empowering hospital boards to attach any amount awarded by the Supreme Court in compensation cases, especially to meet expenses incurred in the institution, was stressed at a meeting of the Wellington Hospital Board yesterday. Mr M ’Curdv, chairman of the fees committee, said that some people after being allowed hospital expenses never thought for one moment that it was their duty to pay their hospital account.

“ That, I think, is about the meanest thing a person can do,” said Mr C. M Luke “We are trying to get legislation introduced that will meet cases of that kind. An amendment of the law is necessary and the sooner it is introduced the better it will be for hospital boards in New Zealand.” Mr Cooper, investigating officer, in his monthly report, stated that as the law stood at present he understood that all the amount awarded by the Supreme Court, even although specially and specifically awarded for hospital expenses, must be paid over by the Court to plaintiff’s solicitor, who in turn had no power to withhold payment from plaintiff, who needless to say, rarely, if ever, remembered to pay his hospital account when he got the money. The only course then left to the board was to take proceedings in the Magistrate’s Court in the usual way, but by the time that was done and judgment obtained the money was usually' gone and the board left lamenting.