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Otago: That the Government be requested to forthwith gazette the regulations provided for in the Crimes Amendment Act, 1911, so that wages may be earned by criminals, and so enable Boards to take advantage of the provisions of this Act. Coromandel: That the Government legislate to compel criminals to work on some appointed Government work to earn sufficient to keep their wives and families who are, under the existing law, a charge on the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board of district in which they live. It very often happens that some incorrigible criminal leaves his family destitute, and, although every remedy the law provides is taken to compel the man to support them, the remedies seem to fall short of the end desired, and the family becomes a heavy burden on the district Board. The support of such cases, it is considered, should not be parochial, but a direct charge on the consolidated revenue. Nelson : That this Conference considers it desirable that an Act of Parliament be passed to provide State farms, industrial homes, or other suitable places of healthy restraint for the detention and enforced labour of confirmed drunkards or other self-indulgents who, having wife and family, incapacitate themselves from wage-earning or spend an undue share of their earnings on themselves, thus leaving the maintenance of aforesaid wife and family to the Charitable Aid Boards of their districts; that the time spent in such homes,-&c, be in proportion to the number of convictions; and that the earnings of such individuals be handed to their respective Boards for the benefit of their families. Section IV.—Charitable Aid. (a.j Some Charitable-aid Problems — the Need for Uniformity. Discussion introduced by the Rev. W. A. Evans, Chairman of the Wellington Hospital Board. REMITS. Waipawa: That it is desirable that a more uniform course of action be pursued by the various Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards in relation to the admission of patients from outside districts to the various hospitals and other benevolent institutions, and the apportionment of liability- therefor. The present custom is to charge a fixed sum to all alike, which in some cases is greater than the actual cost per patient to the Board having charge of the hospital. This Board considers that only the actual cost should be charged to other Boards. Otago: That a form to be used by all Boards in interrogating applicants for relief be adopted at this Conference, and the Government be requested to incorporate same as a Schedule of the Act. North Canterbury: The adoption of some uniform policy between the several Boards, in order to meet cases of applicants from one district applying to another for relief. Bay of Islands: . That Hospital Boards charge kindred societies the net cost only for treating charitable-aid patients from their respective districts. South Canterbury: ■ . Section 72 (1), Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act, 1909, provides for recovery of maintenance paid bv a Board on account of resident from another district. Provision should be made for recovery of maintenance paid on account of children born of parents whilst resident in'such alien district, more particularly where such children tire committed to an institution under the Industrial Schools Act. section 72, with its subsections, of the Hospital and Charitable Institutions Act, 1909, be amended bv the'following additions—viz. :To provi4e for the Inspector-General being appointed sole arbitrator in anv dispute that may arise between any two Boards m regard to liability for relief granted, his award to be binding mi both Boards; and that the treasury, on receipt of award from the Inspector-General, if in favour of petitioning Board, shall be authorized to pay such petitioning Board the amount stated in such award out of any subsidy that may be due to the other Board. U That provision be made bv an amendment of the Hospitals Act giving Hospital Boards power to recover the cost of hospital or other maintenance from money due to patients under the Workers' Compensation Act. South Canterbury: . . . That the present Act be amended to debar any hospital patient, while his maintenance account (incurred as the result of an accident) remains unpaid, from making any compromise with any accident insurance company without first having obtained consent of the Hospital Board to whom the maintenance account is due. 4 * A6 Powct to obtain amount of credit, if any, at Post-office Savings or other bank in regard to applicants and recipients of charitable aid. Wallace and Fiord: ...... „ • j That provision be made giving Board first right to hit money from accident insurance companies which may become due to patients under treatment in hospitals.