HOSPITAL LEVIES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 210, 30 May 1919, Page 5

HOSPITAL LEVIES

THE COUNCIL "PATS UP" UNDER PROTEST. The rapidly increasing Hospital and Charitable Aid levy was discussed brio ly by the Citv Council last night, lho council decided to pay the levy ot POQ O.LO i The* Mayor said that the experience, of the council in objecting to the levy had been such that he would not advise this action again. The levy was heavy, but it appeared that the council must V %. E. A. .'Wright said that this levy was increasing very rapidly, and it appeared to him that no real effort was being made to keep down the expenditure The levy really came from the people, and only from the ratepayer. L. M'Kenzie also urged the need for economy in hospital administration. Mr J. Glover said that ns a member of the board ho could assure the council that the affairs of the board were ailministered with economy, but as tho population increased and hospital requirements increased the cost must go op. Personally he objected to this method of' getting money for hospital expenditure. In his opinion the money should come frem the Consolidated Fund. . Mr. C. B. Norwood said that in Auckland, where the hospital was an institution about the same size as m Wellington, the expenses per bed were lower than in Wellington. He thought that, in tho election of members of the Hospital and Charitablo .Aid Board the people should pav more attention to the business capacity of candidates. - Mr. P. .I'raser said that he agreed that there should, be economy, but the fact was that administration of hospital and charitable aid work was gettin" beyond tho locnl bodies, and it should be done by the General Government. ~ ~ , Mr. C. H. Chapman said that tho council should set itself to the task of removing the causes of 6ickness. . Mr G. Frost said that he agreed with the Mayor that the council would be well advised to "pay up, be'cause experience had shown that it would be futile to protest. " The Mayor said that he did not favour any system by which any other body than the City Council should have the right to levy rates in Wellington. Hehoped that the local bodies round about Wellington would join up with the city, and make, one really strong local body.