STILL INCREASING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 297, 23 April 1941, Page 5

STILL INCREASING

COUNTY HOSPITAL RATE

CAPITAL EXPENDITURE CURTAIL

In a communication to the Whakatane County Council the Bay of Plenty Hospital Boardi forwarded copies of its estimates for the ensuing year. The levies to be made on the Council are as under : Capital £844 16 6 Maintenance 4015 18 4 £4860 14 10 This represents a total levy of .469 of a penny in the pound on the Rateable Capital Value, which is of a penny more than last year. This increase is practically covered in the capital levy, and is accounted for by the Board having to purchase a new X-ray plant. The average occupied beds at the hospital increased from 53 to 57.8 over the last year, and the estimates for this year are based on a 60-be'd basis. The board was faced with the following necessary capital works in the near future : Additions to Women's Ward; Additions to Nurses' Home; Tutorial Block, Matron's Quarters, Staff Dining Room, Kitchen and Storeroom.

It was further stated that consent had been received from the Department of Health to proceed with this work, but owing to time it takes to prepare plans etc., it is not considered that any loan repayments on account of this worlc could become) due in the 1941-42 financial year. In consequence, no provision had beeni made in the estimates to cover the cost of this work. As regards the levies above mentioned, the Capital Levy is payable in one sum on Ist proximo, together with the first quarterly instalment of the Maintenance Levy. The remaining quarterly instalments arc payable on the first days of August, November and February.

The County Clerk reported that the Hospital Capital and Maintenance Levy showed an increase oi £509 5s 6d<, the levy for 1940-41 being £4351 9s 4d. The levy for the previous year was £4328 lis lid and for 1938-39 was £3665 8s lid.

The meeting on the recommendation of the Finance Committee decided that the estimates be receivqd and that the Hospital Board be respectfully requested to seriously consider deferring all Capital expenditure meantime.