RELIEF NOT VERY GREAT

Chronicle (Levin), 21 August 1946, Page 4

RELIEF NOT VERY GREAT

PROP0SED CHANGE IN HQSPITAL RATING As a result of a recent protest by fche Levin Borough Council igainst the present system of levying hospital rates, a letter was read at this month's meeting of the council from the Minister of Health (Mr. Nordmeyer) . He advised that the whole question of hospital levies and hospital rating was to receive consideration by the Government after the report of the Select Committee on Local Gov3rnment had been considered by Parliament. The -Mayor /(Mr. H. B. Burdekin) pointed out that the Minister oi Finance (Mr. Nash) , during liis preservation ■ of the Budget last week, had said that the Government proposed from the beginnipg of the riext financial year to limit the hospital Jevy in any distriet m New Zealand to Q.5d in the £ of the rateable capital value. "The proposed limiting of hospital levies does not, in the case of Levin at any' rate, wcrk out as advantageously as one might first be led to believe," said the town clerk (Mr. H, L. Jenkins). . "For the year 1946-47 the hospital levy on Levin is £2962 14s 2d," Mr. Jenkins continued, "necessitating a rate of 2.4d in the £ on the unimproved value. On the basis of the' suggested 0.5d rate on the capital value, the borough would be called upon to pay a levy of £2724 12s ld, necessitating a rate of 2.07d in the £ on the unimproved value.

The large amount of building going on in the borough, and • also that contemplated, prornises to push up the capital value fairly quickly, and consequently the suggested levy on the capital value will result in a corresponding rise in the rate required on the unimproved value-." Mr. Jenkins informed the council that on the basis recommended to the Government by the Local Body Committee, that a local authority should pay the hospital board the product of the average rate per £ of capital value for the years 1935-36 to 1938-39, the Levin Borough would be called on to pay in the current year a levy of £2043 9s ld, calculated on a rate of 3s 8d in the £, on the capital value, the equivalent rate on the unimproved value being 1.56d in the £. Thisrate would also rise as the capital value of the borough increasea, and provided the unimproved value remained almost consxant. For purposes of 'comparison, Mr. Jenkins gave the following figures in respect of a property carrying an unimproved value of £100: This year's rating £1, Government's suggestion 17s 3d and commission's recommendation 13s. The Mayor said that the same amount would have to be found for hospital majntenance, but the balance would come from rhe Consolidated Fund and would be contributed in tax by the people. If there was a spendthrift board it could say that the people of the whole Doxninion were paying and it might be inolined to say, "Let's have a go." „