Rising Prices Influence Wanganui Hospital Maintenance Budget

Wanganui Chronicle, 21 April 1950, Page 4

Rising Prices Influence Wanganui Hospital Maintenance Budget

An indication of the higher maintenance costs being paid by the Wanganui Hospital Board, due mainly to rising prices of commodities and higher wages, was given by the secretary, Mr. K. Harris, reporting on the estimates at a special meeting yesterday. The estimated cost for maintaining the Wanganui Hospital during the year ended March 31. last, was £121,300, but actual payments amounted to £125,382 and the estimate for the current financial year was estimated at £135.000. the secretary stated

The following table gives details of expenditure on the various items, compared with the estimated amounts: Estimated Actual £ £ Provisions . 14,000 13,895 Surgery and dis-

pensary 11.300 13.896 Domestic 24.109 22.165 Salaries and wages 59.575 62 055 Establishment . . 7400 7822 Grounds 2625 2377 Miscellaneous . 2309 3169 Totals . . . 121,300 125,382 “The actual payments fo” nrov’r.ions approximated very closely to the estimate, and, in fact, were slightly bdow,” the secretary added. A large increase in the expenditure on milk and crer.m (£1956 last year. £2348 estimated for this year) was due to the subsidy on milk having been lifted since last September. The cost of food per patient Ivd increased from £34.6 a year in 1944-45 £37.9 in 1946-47. £45 25 in 1947-48. r4 6.1G in 1948-49 and £48.14 in 194950.