Hospital Severance.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 19 May 1914, Page 2

Hospital Severance.

FAVOURED BY LEVIN BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Considerable discussion on hospital charges took place at last night's meeting of Levin Borough Council. The matter was brought up by the reading of a letter from Horowhehua County Co.uncil, asking that Levin Borough Council appoint a delegate to act with delegates from Otaki Town Board and the County Council in a deputation to the Minister for Public Health, asking that the setting-up of a separate hospital board for Horowhenua County be consented to by the Government. The mayor of Levin (Mr Gardener) quoted statistics and levies to show that at present the levies made on Levin Borough and Horowhenua County were much heavier per head of population than those charged against any other contributors to the board. He also made the point that a saving of £1500 per annum would result to these parts if a separate hospital district were set up, with the Otaki hospital as the base. Councillor BlenkHorn said it seemed to him that the beet means of overcoming the general trouble would be a system of nationalisation of the hospitals. 'The mayor replied that the Government seemed to be against that; it had refused, when requested, even to take over the Otaki Sanatorium.

Councillor Dempsey said that before the people of this county and borough took any decisive step they should be sure there would be a substantial saving, for. they would be losing thejprivilege they now had of going to Wellington Hospital or to Otaki Hospital, which ever was more convenient.

Councillors France, Lancaster, and Mackenzie expressed" themselves favourable to the proposal for separation, especially upon grounds of economy. The council unanimously resolved that his worship the mayor be the delegate from the borough council to wait upon the Minister for Public Health, in conjunction with the County Councfr and Town Board delegates.