NO MORE SUBSIDIES

Waipa Post, Volume 41, Issue 3189, 16 August 1930, Page 4

NO MORE SUBSIDIES

DONATIONS AND BEQUESTS.

HOSPITAL BOARD ANNOYED.

>y Telegraph. Press Association.) HAMILTON, Friday.

Disappointment at intimation from the Government that subsidies on voluntary contributions would be withheld during the current financial year was expressed at the Waikato Hospital Board meeting yesterday. The Director-General of Health, Dr T. H. A. Valintine, wrote notifying that in view of the financial position the payment of subsidies on bequests and voluntary contributions was generally to be suspended during this financial year. In such special cases as might be approved by the Minister of Finance, however, the usual subsidies might be paid. Each claim would be considered on its merits, and subsidies would not be approved except in cases where the withholding of them would result in undue hardship to the claimant board or separate institution. In addition to the usual particulars forwarded with claims for subsidy it would be necessary, therefore, to state for what, if any, special purpose voluntary contributions or bequests had been made or had been or were to be appropi-iated Ky a board, and if for general purposes whether for maintenance or capital purposes. In general subsidies on voluntary contributions and bequests would not be paid in excess of the amount estimated to be received by a board for the current financial year, and further, as regarded subsidies on voluntary contributions and bequests for capital purposes, not unless or until the moneys were about to be expended by a board.

The chairman (Mr C. Johnstone) said he could not understand the attitude of the Department. It had long been recognised that voluntary contributions should be accompanied by subsidies; in fact, it was because of subsidies that many voluntary contributions were made. The Government was not curtailing expenditure in education, and was spending money unnecessarily on it, yet expenditure on hospital work was neglected. The letter was received.