THAT HOSPITAL RATE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 73, 18 May 1945, Page 5

THAT HOSPITAL RATE

REACTION IN THE BOROUGH

REDUCTION OF GENERAL RATE

The fact that the Finance Committee recommended the reduction of the General Rate in order to offset the rising" Hospital rate was warmly criticised by Cr Spring at the last meeting of the Whakatane Borough Council, when the rates for the new year were under formal discussion prior to being struck. Cr Spring contended that the Maintenance rate was a most important rate in that it supplied the services and appurtenances to the ratepayers, and that any reduction in this respect must result in a falling off of'those services to the detriment of the individual benefit. On the other hand, the hospital rate which was universally acknowledged to be a viscious and unfair method of maintaining a public institution was growing to such an extent that it was likely to surpass even the general rate and thus appropriate the finances at the expense of the Borough amenities. He urged that the full hospital rate should be levied in order that ratepayers- would then see the true position and realise the burden they were being forced to carry but that the maintenance and service rates should remain at the fair level so as not to cause any deterioration in the existing amenities- Only in this manner could the position be brought home to the ratepayers.

The Mayor reminded Cr Spring that Whakatane had at one time experienced a rate of 2/0 in the £. The result had been disastrous and every councillor would as a result do his utmost to-avoid a repetition of anything approaching that figure again. 'T am not endeavouring to build up the rate, at all," said Cr Spring, ''but I think it wrong to reduce the general rate in order to shield the hospital rate. It is not in the interests of the Borough to do so. It means that we can't do what we should do to bring the town up-to-iilate." Cr Canning: If Cr Spring puts those, views before the ratepayers they are likely to take to him. W T e should take things slowly 5 and they will probably mend themselves. Cl- Shaplcy agreed that what had been said made commensensc but it was necessary to go slowly in order to give the position a chance to pick up. A revaluation of the Borough would make all the difference.

"I admit that seems; a very low rate on which to run the Bor-< ough " said the Mayor, "but we are getting near the danger point now."

Or Sullivan: We have done the maintenance of this Borough for many years past on and I think we have done it very well. T'he Borough has made good sound progress. It would amaze you to see all the improvements carried out under the maintenance rate over the past ten years. Or Spring said it was not a question of what had been done in the past. The Borough was. growing and expanding. It was impossible to expect it to live on the same rate all the time with a growing population. The Mayor: I'm glad to hear such a forceful point of view. It is far better than sitting back and swallowing a mass' of figures without comment. Or Warren: Can anything be done about the hospital rate ? other than talk about it?

Or Sullivan: There are only two ways to approach it—the total abolition of the hospital or a revaluation of the Borough.

Or Spring explained that he realised he was new on the Council but had raised the question because, he thought it had been a mistaken policy to cut a rate that was giving direct service merely because of an increasing demand from an outside institution over which they had no

gunge. The rates were then struck as re commended.