HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2136, 18 March 1886, Page 3

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID.

'10 TJIh KDirOK. Hlr, — At a tune when the minds of the ponci.il public are exorcised t<> .1 very great o\tent <nor the above named nutter, it were as well that the infoimitiou, as to how the tiling leaJly stands, should be as widrlv disseminated as possible. I therofnie piopovf t<) show as briefly as possible the exact state "f the case. In the fii-t place. 1 understand that the Auckland Bnaid h.ue ananged not to insist on their demands for cmttibutions to charitable aid lvnifif complied with, unless the (4o\einni'Mit will indemnity the.n against any e\j)Oiisos tliat may be incurred in fig'litin^ the cases. This the (ioNumnent decline to d<>, and theiefore, for the time bein<? at leist, we aie fice of the " Poor Law Hate,"' fur it can be called by no other name.

It will bo seen from this that Waikato, Waipi, Hamilton, and Riglan, me iisked for £'380 los 3d, or at t.he rate of £'1142 5s ltd per annum (for the present demands aie only fur four months, so lam informed l>y members of the district board). I now gne you a list of patients in the hospital at date, with the locality from whence they came.

From this you will see that Waikato has ono female, and Wai pa one male patient in the Hospital. On an average there never arc I believe 5 patients in the hospital for these districts, but allowing that we did average 5 all the year round we would be entitled to pay £342 10s per annum for their maintenance, the average cost per patient being £(J8 10s per year (information obtained from the secretary to the Auckland Boaid). Now if we pay as asked, £1442, the Government subsidise that £1 for £1, making in all £2284 for our 5 patients. Piako has one male patient in the hospital, and the county is asked to pay £515 to the Thames, which multiplied by three makes £1545 and subsidy added, totals up £3090 per annum to maintain the Thames Hospital an institution with which they have nothing whatever in common excepting the Te Aroha riding. Piom the above figures it will be seen that the five places Piako, Waikato, Waipa, Raglan and Hamilton are asked to contiibute (including their subsidies) £5374 ptr annum. This, Sir, is on the assumption that the demand is for four months only, on which point I am not quite clear, but supposing that the demands are for six months then the total would be £3583, on the same calculations as regards subsidies &c. This is entirely exclusive of what may have to be paid for charitable aid in the future, and undoubtedly something will have to be contributed for that when further legislation takes place. I date say that the majority of the ratepayers in our districts would be satisfied to pay their contiibutions if they wero made on a population basis, but I am well informed that it will be very hard indeed to get that agreed to by the House. It seems to me therefore that the \ery best and widest thing to be done is to get Piako, Waikalo, Waipa, Raglan, and Hamilton raised into a separate district, and have a hospital of their own, erected in a locality to be selected by delegates from all councils or boards affected. The average cost of patients being £<>8 10s per head on a laigo scalp. I am willing to allow that it might cost £100 per head in a small way. Supposing that we had 20 patients on an a\ erage, we should want £2000 per annum to run the establishment or half (perhaps le*s) what we .'ire called on to pay now. That is for 20 patients, but statistics show us that this is perhaps excessive, therefore less money may be required, and as Government subsidise, as said before, we should probably require only about £1000 per annum form taxation for hospital purposes. I think the chairman of the Waikato County Council should call a meeting of councils and road boards interested to consider the matter, so that our members may go to Wellington prepared to fight our battles. The sooner the meeting is held the better. I had forgotten to call attention to the fact that Auckland, with its 41 patients in the hospital, is only called on to contribute £3528 per annum if the demand is a four months one, or £2352 if it is for six months. A slight difference this, and certainly not in favour of the country districts. Apologising for length of communication, I am, sir, yours &c, T. G. Sandks. Hamilton, 17th March, 1880.

Borough of Auckland „ Hamilton „ Onuliunga „ P.irnoll „ Newmarket County of HoWn „ AVhangarei „ Rodney „ Waitemata „ Eden „ Manukau „ K.iglan „ W.ukato „ Wai pa. nss in j 22 3 : 3"> 17 i sli 13 ; 21 12 i 02 14 .SO (i i (Jl 15 i 151 14 i 324 3 ! 2li(i 10 I 4.s 14 ; 1(50 12 ' 143 4 H 8 5 8 3 6 1 G 0 0 2 6 5 7 10 2031 7 '

The foil >\\ ing ]■> .1 list of the contributions demanded by the Auckland Board for hospital purposes up to M.ucli 3lst ISSG : —

Mule J Auckland B 31 Parnull, „ 2 Newmarket „ 1 Dnphunga „ 2 Holwm C 2 Whanparei „ 1 Rodnoy „ 2 Wattemata „ 11 Eden „ <> M.mukau „ 0 VV.nkato „ 0 Waipa „ 1 Bay of Islands,, 1 Piako „ 1 riiames-TeAioha 0 Waieke Island 1 raupn A.O. Force 1 Industrial School 0 denial !) 3 2 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 le C Uhild 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Iren 72 21 5

PATIENTS IN HOSl'll'Ar..