HOSPITAL TAXATION

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3284, 5 July 1943, Page 5

HOSPITAL TAXATION

(To the Editor.) Sir, —With reference to the discussion which took place at a recent meeting of the Hauraki Plains 'County Council concerning hospital rating reported in your edition of June 11 last, I desire to say that there are apparently some councillors who fail to appreciate that the Government has actually been finding the full cost of treating soldier patients for a year. The request that the Government take over the responsibility of fiiiding full maintenance costs for soldiers is a very belated one, and reveals an unfortunate lack of information regarding the position. It will, of course, be noted that in the year 1939-40, prior to the introduction of Social Security, the board budgeted for an expenditure which required the Hauraki Plains local bodies to find the sum of £5320'. Owing to the amount found from the Social Security Fund this sum has not sincp been reached, nor is it likely to be in view of the additional amount of 3s per occupied bed per day which the Government will now pay to hospital boards in respect of inpatients treated subsequent to April 1 last. —I am, etc., JAMES THORN.