HOSPITAL RATING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 43, 26 January 1945, Page 5

HOSPITAL RATING

COMPLAINT FROM TAURANGA WHAKATANE ADVISES LOCAL POSITION In a letter to the Wliakatanc County Council last Tuesday i} the Tauranga County Council advised that the Tauranga Hospital Board had advised its intention of applying to the Local Government Loans Board for sanction to borrow the sum of £34 ? 500 for Capital Expenditure. Over the space of ten years to the current period, the hospital levy against the Tauranga County Council had risen from £2267 13s 2d to £6299. 19s Bd, and this proposed loan meant a further increase of £711 2s 3d on the levy. The Tauranga Council viewed with grave concern the increasing tax on .ratepayers and forwarded a reply to the Board objecting to the proposal. Instructions were given to acquaint all County Councils on the matter with the view of obtaining their support to protest further against the incidence of the heavy cost of hospital maintenance which county ratepayers are called upon to bear. Mr J. L. Burnett, Chairman of the Wliakatane. County Council said that the 1933/34 Wliakatane total hospital levy was £1776 19s 6d and 1943/44 Wliakatane total hospital levy was £7246 4s. This County had repeatedly without success, represented matters respecting hospital rates and finance to the Government. Furthermore, some time ago this Council endeavoured to form a Bay of Plenty Local Bodies Association for the purpose of representing from the Bay and Rotorua, Sticli import ant matters to the Government. It was regretted that the Tauranga County Council was in June 1942 unable to support the formation of such a local association and he was 3 sure this Council would now support the Tauranga County Council wholeheartedly in the matter of hospital taxation. The Council resolved that the Tauranga County Council lie advised accordingly.