HOSPITAL FINANCE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 92, 18 April 1929, Page 8

HOSPITAL FINANCE

Board's Satisfactory Year

REDUCTION OF LEVY

After commencing with a bank overdraft of £2237 3s lid, the Wanganui Hospital Board closes the year ending March 31 last with a credit balance of £1214 14s 7d t

Reference to this fact was made by the chairman, Dr. fSkcrmau, in a report furnished at the meeting of the Board yesterday. The overdraft, he said, was made up of £llB5 17s 7d on the general account and £105.1 (is 44 on the capital account. The credit balance at the close of the year was £916 9s 4<l on tin* general account and £298 5s 3d on the capital account. This indicated that the estimates of receipts and expenditure for last year were calculated on a fair basis and that expenditure had been kept well within the sum asked for from the ratepayers.

This cart*ful administration, stated the chairman, would enable the Board to reduce the levy for the year .19291930 and also to provide £lOOO towards the cost of building an isolation block at the Wanganui Hospital and £l4OO for additions to the Raetihi Hospital. The cost, to the Board of these items was, of course, a capital one. The expenditure for 1927-1928 formthe basis of the estimates for 19281929 and the ratepayers were asked for £220 more than the previous year, but, as would be seen from the financial statement, this amount had not been expended. In addition, the revenue of the Board had increased which meant that, with reduced expenditure and increased receipts, the expenditure for the year 1929-1930 would be. approximately £.”>400 less than the previous year. Thus the Board was able to return to the ratepayers portion of this sum in the form of a smaller levy. On the estimates now put before the Board the levy for the current year would be 0.207 d in the £ on the rateable capital value as against. 0.219 d last year. Maintenance Expenditure The maintenance expenditure last year of lhe respective institutions, don't rolled by the Board, in comparison with that, of the previous year was as follows the 1927-28 figures being shown in parentheses:— -Wanganui Hospital £29,143 (£29,087); Taihape Hospital £6052 (£6884); Raetihi Hospital £2288 (£2723); Jubilee Home £1604 (£1773). The charitable aid expenditure for the year had been greater than anticipated. The amount expended was £492 more than the previous year. The administration costs had increased by £330. Of this sum £2OO represented the salary of the social welfare, officer and the remainder increases in salaries voted last year. The capital expenditure showed a decrease for the year of £2767 in comparison with such expenditure for the preceding year. Of the amount, expended £595 was in respect to Taihape Hospital and £lB7 in connection with Raetihi Hospital. Collection of F e es The fees collected for the year showed an increase of £340 which demonstrated that every endeavour was made to collect as much as possible from the sundry patients of the hospitals. The question of collection of hospital patients’ fees was recognised as a very complex one. The, economic conditions and distinctions in each district, in conjunction with its population had a different bearing upon the collection of fees. In this district a large number

of persons were employed upon seasonal occupations and others were dependent upon the shipping for a living. For the month of July, 1928, it was found that the occupation of those responsible for fees incurred, of the first 350 patients discharged was: Labourers 54, artisans 39, old age pensioners 10. clerks 9, domestics 9, farmers 8, widows 7, commission agents 5, farm managers 4, shop assistants 4, staff 4, drovers 4, telegraphists 3, -merchants 3, inmates Jubilee Home 2, jockeys 2, nurses (other than staff) 2, inmate of orphanage 1. From a perusal of the occupations of these patients the difficulty in collection of foes would be readily understood. Patients at Hospitals The following statistics in connection with the hospitals administered by the Board were also appended for the information of Board members:— Wanganui Hospital 3928 .1929 No. patients treated 2340 2648 Collective days of stay . . . . . . .. 52750 56350 Av’ge stay of patient 22.5 21.3 Av'ge occupied beds .144.1 354.4 Taihape Hospital No. patients treated 741 766 Collective days of stay .. . . . . 12294 13218 Av’ge stay of patient, 17.8 17.2 Av’ge occupied beds 33.6 36.2 Raetihi Hospital No. patients treated .153 181 Collective days of stay 2349 2688 Av’ge stay of patieuis .15.2 14.8 Av’ge occupied beds 6.7 7.4 For the ye.lr 1927-28. the total levies required wort £2962 for capital expenditure and £22,358 for maintenance, making a total of £25,320. For the year 1928-29 the levies required would be £3270 for expenditure and £2.1,231 for maintenance, making a total of £2,450 and a saving of £Bl9 to the ratepayers. Reduction in Levies The rate in the pound on the rateable capital value was as follows, the figures for 1928-29 being shown in parentheses; Maintenance (0.194 d 0.180 d; capital (0.025 d 0.027 d; total (0.2J9d) 0.207 d. The maintenance subsidy 1928-1929 and 1929-1930 was 18s 1.6 d and 16s JO. 4d respectively. The provisions which governed the calculation of subsidy was that, the greater the expenditure the greater the subsidy. The net estimated maintenance expenditure .1929-1930 was £3400 lower than 19281929 and of this amount the ratepayers obtained £llOO and the general Government the balance. £2300. “In connection with the reduction in the local bodies levies.” said the chairman in conclusion, “I wish to state that all the contributing authorities throughout the district, with the exception of Wanganui city, participate in the reduction. Unfortunately the contribution by Wanganui city has been increased. This is caused through the alterations in capital values. The valuation at April 1. 1929, is £779,506 higher than at April .1, 1928.”