PROPOSED MERGER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 3, 4 September 1945, Page 5

PROPOSED MERGER

HOSPITAL BOARD AMALGAMATION

COUNTY CHAIRMAN'S REPORT

A very favourable report on the question of the proposed l amalgamation of the Whakatane district with the ad. joining Waikato area was given by Mr J. L. Chairman of the Whakatane County Coun- *

•cil at Tuesday's meeting. The as a result decided to invite a conference with the Whakatane Borough' Council and' Hospital Board at the September meeting when the matter •could be discussed'.

'Detailing the visit to Rotorua with) the Mayor of Whakatane (Mr B. S. Barry) the Town and County Clerks Mr Burnett stated that they had had a very cordial reception from the medical superintendent, the Chair- , man and Secretary to the Waikato V Board. Considerable trouble had been taken' to compile the information which they required and the figures; which were tabled were in themselves a great surprise to the delegation. The Waikato Board bad a total of 939 beds spread over three hospitals (Hamilton Rotorua and Te Kuiti). There were small ma J "ternity hospitals at intervals throughout the territory. To meet the upkeep of these institutions levies "were made on 24 local bod'ies, and Jiad Whakatane been a member for 1945 4 its levy would have been £3826 instead of £9570 ? which it was finding at present.' Cr McCready: Lead us to it. Mr Burnett went on to say that he had informed the Waikato officers that the Whakatane Board bad 3>ecn in the habit of paying i'looo .-annually for outside patients. He had been informed that there would .be no losis entailed in this direction as it practically cost thati figure, to bring the people the distance they travelled to enter the institution. The question of liabilities was also • discussed and he had been informed •that any merger would mean the complete taking over of the new hoard's assets as well as its liabilities. It had been admitted that it was contemplated spending £130 000 in a projected building scheme "which would finally approximate aicarly a million pounds. However, •even in the event of this being carTied Whakatane County's levy for the next three or four years would be £6293 } which was still far below the present levy irrespective of what it might develop into if the present system were maintained. The Whakatane Hospital would still -carry a superintendent- and an assistant, There would be one member appointed from the district Avho would have the support of a local committee. The whole secret of the lowered levy was that the burden was spread over a far greater area than it was now. Mr Burnett suggested that copies of the figures be sent to all members of the Council, the Hospital Board s and that the Borough Council be invited also to do the same. He suggested further that the whol<» matter go before the next finance • committee meeting under instructions to bring down a report. Cr McCready said it looked as though Opotiki must come into the new area as it was impossible for that district to face up to the scheme which the Health Department was imposing on it. The meeting decided to approach the Whakatane Hospital Board seeking a statement of thg estimated expenditure in the next five yearjfe upon contemplated capital works and also to request the Waikato Board to furnish the approximate figures as they would have been for 1937-88. The chairman's suggestion that •circulars covering the. figures voder review be sent round, members of the local bodies concerned was also

agreed to.