HOSPITAL FEES.

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1402, 11 September 1923, Page 4

HOSPITAL FEES.

£14,000 IWRECOVERED LAST YEAE WAIPA COUNCILLOR'S STRICTURES. The Waipa County Council on Monday briefly discussed the administration of the Waikato Hospital, particular reference to unpaid fees for treatment. The Waikato Hospital Board's Clerk forwarded the following resolution:—"That all local bodies in the Board's area be requested to get their valuations brought up to date; failing their doing so that the Board ask the Department to bring pressure to bear on the local bodies." He pointed out that the whole sum is payable in one sum, but the Board is agreeable at present to the levy being paid in three or four regular instalments, though this permission must not be acted upon by contributing local bodies as a right. Waipa County's levy is £3799 Os 6d for the present year, and of this £949 15s 6d has already been paid. The privilege of paying in instalments is being abused, as some local bodies pay up promptly in one sum while others make little effort to pay without pressure. This is not fair to those who do pay up. Cr. Livingstone asked the position in respect to valuations. The chairman said the Department's valuer had promised to deal"with portion of Waipa County as soon as possible. Cr Peacock advocated framing bylaws requiring permits to be obtained for building. Thus the clerical staff would be better able to keep track of improvements. Cr. Alexander said the idea originated in the Te Aroha district. The contention was that some local bodies had not had their areas revalued for several years. The chairman said Waipa and Waikato Counties were probably the worst off in this connection of all the contributing bodies, for these two areas had been revalued when lands were at the peak. The move of the Hospital Board seemed a fair one. The Clerk said that the Board should not ask for two instalments before the County got its rates in. Cr. Alexander said the Board was now working an overdraft. Over £14,00 of fees had been wiped off last year. Cr. Livingstone: That is the fault i of your hospital secretary. He should j be stirred up to make more strenuous efforts to collect the fees. Court proceedings should be instituted. It was a scandalous state of affairs. People very well able to pay their fees deliberately ignored payment. The hospital was the worst run of any of the provincial, local bodies. Other Councillors expressed somewhat similar views, and it was decided to make representations to the Board in the direction indicated. It was mentioned that some time ago a previous accountant had been offered 10 per cent, commission on all hospital fees collected, and he got in about £IO.OOO worth in a few months. That was an indication of how the fees could be coilected. At present the Hospital Board, not having to collect rates or be directly responsible to ratepayers, were too lax. Cr. Alexander, a member of the Hospital Board, promised to make representations as indicated by Councillors.