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Hokitika Guardian, 16 June 1921, Page 2

Ovii readers will have noted that in dealing with the hospital levy for the year, something approaching friction has arisen between the County Council and the Hospital Board. The members of the latter resented the action of the members of the former in questioning the amount of the levy proposed for the year. As the County Council has to find over 7] per cent of the local revenue for the Hospital Board, that is £2781 out of £3893 levied on the local bodies, it is reasonable to expect that the body r has the light to some voice in the matter. This the Hospital Board refused to grant, even to the extent of a friendly conference on the subject. To say the least of it, there was a lack of courtesy in the attitude, which savors very much of the position of the dog in the manger. The need for the conference seemed to bo evident on the Board’s own figures and showing. A year ago a deficit of £1596 was put forward as grounds for the high levy, and the County Council agreed after demur to meet the charge in order to !{ut the Board on its feet. But when the levy came forward again this year, Although showing a credit balance of £267, that is the Board’s accounts were £1863 better off. the high levy was maintained. This was brought about by the proposed capital levy. Representations by the Council produced a revision of the figures and the Board made some concession. That the concession was not enough is evidenced by the fact that the Board has been carrying on for the past two months without any of the new levy coming in. The Board in addition to its credit balance had cash assets due which were not revealed in the making of the levy, and to that extent there is no doubt the local Iwidies are being over levied upon. However the County Council has agreed to accept the levy under protest, and in consequence it must keep up its rate at nine farthings. This will not be welcome news to the ratepayers hut when it is remembered 50 per cent of the amount must go into hospital payments the occasion for the high rate <.nu he well understood.

The ratepayers would be better pleased no doubt to see the local bodies concerned working more in unison. It is due, certainly, to the contributing bodies to confer with them in cases of emergency. There is a very heavy outgoing for hospital maintenance in this district and the whole cost is being saddled on the present generation. As considerable expenditure affecting permanent work is being proceeded with out of ordinary revenue, we maintain now, as in the past- that there should be a system whereby this large outlay should be spread over a period of years. It was mentioned at the County Council meeting by Mr Jeffries on Tuesday that this would Ik? possible had a round the table conference taken place. But this is a system we have advocated before, and will advocate again in the future as large additional sums have to be raised to complete the central institution at Hokitika. A conference would have enabled a clearer understanding to be reached also in regard to the advisability of proceeding with certain works, while material etc. were at the present high price. A certain amount of expedition might necessarily be expected, but where economy can be practiced it should he attempted. Credit might well be given to the members of both the Board and the Council for putting forward their views from ’tlieir particular point of view, but those views need not engender heat, seeing that each set

of members has certain duties 'to discharge affecting the public interests. The Board members are in the position of levying for what they want on the local bodies and collecting the amount in a concrete way. That is all plain sailing. The Council on the other hand has to raise its money by rates, and taxes spread over the whole district. Tho Board members should realise the difficult position of the Council and in these crying times help to reduce rather than maintain local taxation for hospital purposes.