RISING TEMPER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 53, 5 March 1943, Page 5

RISING TEMPER

PLAINS FARMERS PROTEST

RATING SYSTEM CONDEMNED

Some indication of the reaction of the average County ratepayer to what was generally term edi the iniquitous methods of

financing the hospital services, with particular reference to the £45,000 proposal, was afforded' by the full ventilation of opinions at the meeting of ratepayers j at Edgecumbe last Wednesday evening, which was convened by the local branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union. * All speakers though freely ad L ' milting the need for the new ' hospital amenities and declaring themselves fully in favour 1 of the proposals were bitterly opposted' to the back-breaking method' of shouldering the total ex- J pense on to the ratepayers in the face of the Social Security ' Scihie|mie and 1 thei ( and wasteful methods itadulged in by the Government in the 1 < process of erecting public faci- ' lities. * The following motions were ' carried on a show of handls:— ' (1) "That thik meeting of 1 ratepayers) while agreeing that the additions asked for by the Hospital Board 1 are necessary ' protests against the grossly unjust method of financing hospi- ! tals in New Zealand l ,, and l ca'll9 upon its local body representatives to obtain justice for its raltepjayerfc or to refuse 1 to coU<* lect the rate.'' C, R. Wilsbn/H. a McCready. (2) That this meeting whioleheartily supports the: County Council' iii its protest against the raising of the Hospital loan, and! in all other aspects covered by its recent resolution. R. Dunning/Leslie. Owing to pressure on our space the full report of the discussion has been held over t'illi next isstae.