The Waipukurau Press. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 1933. CREDITABLE HOSPITAL RECORD

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 63, 8 March 1933, Page 4

The Waipukurau Press. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 1933. CREDITABLE HOSPITAL RECORD

The comprehensive survey published in “The Press” on Saturday as to the relationship between the Waipur kurau Hospital costs and those for hospitals throughout the Dominion serve to show the local institution m a highly favourable 'light, viz. in the premier position, with a large margin over Hamilton as to the net cost per bed. It is a truly remarkable record, especially in view of the fact that the number of occupied beds is not large when compared with the 22 other hospitals with an excess of 50. The fact is clearly revealed that in reaching this pinnacle the Waipukurau Hospital has reaped the “harvest” of a period of careful “sowing” in the matter of economical administration, having on a number of occasions during the past few years gained a high mark, including a second place in the annual returns lor Dominion hospitals. The position disclosed tends to show that a well managed country hospital can justify itself in comparison with the average metropolitan institution, as the records of Dannevirke, Thames, Oamaru, and Masterton clearly reveal. It is noteworthy that the Stratford Hospital, which is in the class ranging from 10 to 50 beds, occupies the second position in the Dominion with a cost of £63 per bed for a total of 39. For the 23 major hospitals the range of costs extends from £55 to £l5B 4s, while the Dominion average net cost per bed is £lll 4s. The ratepayers in the Waipawa Hospital District have every reason to feel grateful that unwelcome although the quarterly levies may be, the total for last year was £4,700 less than would have been the case under average New Zealand conditions. It is interesting to observe that among the larger institutions there is great variation in costs, Hamilton, with 270 beds and £77 16s as the net. cost, being much below Wellington—with 343 beds costing £l4l 10s. Christchurch with 361 beds at a cost of £B2 10s is in the third position among the large institutions, Palmerston North (171 and £B9 10s) being fourth, Dannevirke (50 and £9O 10s) fifth, and Auckland (608 and £93 18s) sixth. In the matter of maternity hospitals under board control the Rathbone Hospital ranked as third among 4 2 and for a new and small institution this record is a source of special satisfaction, the net cost per occupied bed being £lOO 6s as compared with the Dominion average of £lB9 16s. Hearty congratulations are due to, the Waipawa Hospital Board and its staffs (administrative medical and nursing) for the happy results thus achieved, but this does not mean—good although the figures are —that they cannot be bettered and a policy of continued vigilance is to be commended. Even in the best of regulated undertakings there are usually a “few screws loose,” and it is politic to be watchful as to possible betterment, consistent always with the call for avoiding pin-pricking or unduly parsimonous economies. Contented patients and a satisfied staff are alike essential to real success.

A TACTICAL BLUNDER? r ■ According to a recent cablegram the Foreign Secretary (Sir John Simon) replying to questions in the House of Commons, said that there was no indication of universal agreement with the decision of the British

Government forbidding the, export of arms to China and Japan. That left this country in a situation which could not be allowed to continue. This was the first matter which would be taken up by the Prime Minister and himself at Geneva this week. Last week’s embargo decision was provisional, and if the attitude of the other Powers did not promote international agreement it would not be a reversal of that decision if that. Government had to reconsider it. It would appear that once again the British lead has been premature and -by the double-barrelled embargo provoked the loss of not only Japan’s but China's goodwill—which others retain without necessarily discriminating against one or the other. It would appear that British diplomacy is not the last word in discretion.