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SESS. 11.—1884. NEW ZEALAND.

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE-AID EXPENDITURE, 1883-84 (MEMORANDUM ON).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

MEMORANDUM ON HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE-AID EXPENDITURE, 1883-84. The expenditure for the financial year ended the 31st March, 1884, was as follows :— > Hospitals. _ £ s. d. (Table 1.) Wholly maintained by Government ... ... 43,639 3 0 (Table 2.) Subsidised by Government in proportion to public contributions ... ... ... ... ... 10,531 15 11 54,170 18 11 (Table 3.) Less revenue from various sources ... ... ... 3,576 17 1 Net expenditure ... ... ... ... £50,594 1 10 Chaeitable Aid. (Table 4.) Paid direct by Government ... ... ... 14,776 7 1 Subsidised by Government ... ... ... 19,872 10 11 £34,648 18 0 Total—Hospitals ... ... ... ... ... ... 50,591 1 10 Charitable aid ... ... ... ... ... 34,648 18 0 £85,242 19 10 The hospitals wholly maintained by Government are, speaking generally, those at the chief centres of population (though in Canterbury District all the hospitals are so maintained); whilst those in country districts are maintained on the system of subsidies of £1 for every £1 subscribed by the general public or by local bodies for the support of the hospital. These subsidies are paid to Committees of Management elected by the subscribers. There are a few exceptions to the pound-for-pound rule. The Tuapeka Hospital has had £3 for £1, and the Waipawa County and Coromandel Hospitals have had £2 for £1, whilst at P..tea half the actual cost is refunded by Government to the local bodies who manage the hospital. The revenue derived from the hospitals maintained wholly by the Government which consists of payments by patients, public subscriptions, and miscellaneous items (such as sale of pigs, &c), amounts to about one-fifteenth of the expenditure. The hospitals, except in Wellington, are managed by Committees variously chosen. Of those maintained by Government, that at Auckland is managed by a Committee, half of whom are elected by those who subscribe £306 against an expenditure of £6,575, and the other half are nominated by Government. At the Thames there is a larger "Committee elected by subscribers of an almost nominal sum, and by the Borough and' County Council, which contribute nothing, whilst none are nominated by Government. The New Plymouth Hospital is managed by a Committee appointed by Government.