COUNTY HOSPITAL RATE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 69, 1 May 1945, Page 5

COUNTY HOSPITAL RATE

TO be levied or not ? RESPONSIBILITY OF RATEPAYERS FARMERS' UNION PETITION One of the keenest debates heard at the County Council meetings took place last Tuesday when the question of Hospital rates came up for discussi'on. This followed the formal notification from the Secretary of the Hospital Board that the levy for the new year would' be £9570 sis 7d (an increase of £3000) which will mean a total rate of <9191 of Id in the £ ? which, iisi an increase of .2286 of ld ! on last year's figure. The letter stated that the average occupied beds at the hospital increased from 75.2 to 59.86 over the last year and this year's estimates were based on a 95 bed accommodation. The estimated hospital maintenance increase was accounted for by the increase in the estimated occupied beds to '95, and the increase in the wages payable to ntrrsing staff required for the additional new award and the large increase in wages for the domestic staff. "Well gentlemen," said the chairman- reviewing the demand, "it is for us to say whether or not' we shall do anything about it. We might invite the Hospital Board to meet us and discuss it."

"As far as. the running of the hospital is concerned " said Cr Mc•Gougan, "1 would like to assure the - Council'that it is run as efficiently and as well as any other organisation or public institution. How we are going to get over this annual increase I don't know, Wc all contend that it ought to be a national concern, but as far as the Board is concerned it can't do much about it." Cr McCready then intimated that the Farmers' Union throughout the province was moving in the matter -and had instructed all its. branches to obtain signed petitions urging their respective County Councils not to strike the 'rate, and to identify themselves w T ith Maunganui in fighting the Government on this point. In the vent of a council refusing to accede to the request of the ratepayers, it would be asked to make a public statement setting out its reasons. Cr Burt who declared himself in sympathy with the Union read a statement setting out the steeply rising costs of the hospital from 1937-38 when it was £908« to run a 36.41 bed hospital, to 1944 when it cost £36/228 to run a 78. bed hos« pital. • "What do you propose doing?" enquired the. chairman. Cr Burt declared himself nonplussed. They were up against a mountain and it was useless the Council trying to take an individual stand. There were farmer members on the Board who had seen to it that the. estimates had been cut as much as possible but still the increase went on.

The chairman: Did they pass any protests about it? Cr Burt: No but they queried all the things they could. The chairman: Unless the Hospital Board is prepared to move as well as the Counties and the Boroughs Ave Avon't get far. Cr McCready declared that the only action the farmers coukl take iioav was direct action. Nothing had availed them in the past and every union in the country knew it but the poor ratepayers Avho had yet to be wakened up. Maunganui AAas suffering now because of the refusal of the other counties to> stand beliind her. The Council should take :a leaf out of the worker's union's books and call the Government's .bluff. They Avcre too AA'eak-kneed and scared to try and fight such an issue. The chairman: It's all very well to talk like that. We're only one of 123 other counties and it would, be foolish for us to tackle this alone and get. into the mess that Maunganui is in at present. If your organisation is so good let it get to Avork -and show us hoAV much better it is than it was last year. Cr McCready: You're going to get the petition in May. Then Ave will see who are Avilling to fight the issue. The petition will go right through the. province. Cr McGoiigan said he had served jnany years on the Hospital Board ..and he c/Juld assure the Council that it was not a pleasant job. The -Board dicl not like seeing the ourtlen of rates\ getting heavier any more than the ratepayers did ? but they had to administer the hospital. Sick people were coming in and there *were no class of workers who toiled

harder than did the nursing staff. He advised all rating authorities to get together and show an unbroken front but queried this possibility on account of the farming community being poles apart already in their outlook. Cr Wardlaw agreed that the Board had a most unenviable job. He. was sure it was doing its best. He thought it high time the ratepayers helped themselves and became organised rather than to come squealing to the Hospital Board and County Councils foi 4 a remedy. The main responsibility was their own. "I can't see why twelve men should accept the responsibility in this matter/' said Cr Cawte. "What w-e. are trying to do," replied Cr McCready ? "is to get over the invidious position where ratepayers can be sold up for refusing to pay their rates. The* only way to make a fair block to the whole business is to refuse to levy the rate, then there are no individual and they don't have to face the music." He went on to accuse the chairman of somersaulting at a recent meeting in the country and declared that 'the banana skin had thrown him completely.'

For the benefit of the meeting Mr Burnett outlined an interview which lie had had with the chairman of the Maungonui County Council when in Wellington, and said he had been strongly advised not to take .similar action as it would help neither Whalt atane nor Maungonui. The Government by way of retaliation had pooled all the subsidies due the Council and had financed the hospital accordingly. The. result was that the ratepayers were simply not getting the services which the Council was expected to give. Mr Burnett said that all lie had ever .said was that if the ratepayers were, prepared to accept the responsibility the Council would then seriously consider taking but not if the Council alone was expected to take, the consequences. "It would Avaken the ratepayers up " observed Cr Burt. "That's alright too'" said Mr Burnett "if Ave had a lever to hold the people of this country up to ranson like, the other unions haA'e. By taking direct action, the only persons we can hurt are ourselves and the ratepayers, and don't forget the unions have a sympathetic Government in power too." Cr McCready: If the ratepayers of Maungonui are suffering such awful agonies Avhy did 90(J petitioners ask the Council to carry on Avith the stand they have taken? The Chairman: The point is that e\~er since last election your organisation has been trying to 'get this thing going. Why has it been left to the last minute? Cr McCready explained the details of procedure necessary to obtain the full support of the pmvincial and national councils of the Farmers' Union. The Chairman: Well then we can expect to hear from you next month Avlien Ave wi 11 be requested to take appropriate action. ! '