TAUMARUNUI HOSPITAL DISTRICT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 626, 10 December 1913, Page 4

TAUMARUNUI HOSPITAL DISTRICT.

* — - LAW OFFICER'S OPINION. DIFFICULTY OF BOUNDARIES. The following letter, together with the opinion of the Crown Low Officer, haß been received by Mr C. K. Wilson with reference to the petition for the establishing of a separate hospital district for Taumarunui:—"With reference to your representations with regard to the above, I herewith forward copy of the Assistant Law Officer's opinion on the subject. You will note that a Bill subdividing the West Taupo County into two counties would have to be passed to give effect to the prayer o' the petitioners for a separate hospital district. I very much regret that it is impracticable to introduce such a Bill at so late a stage in the present session. In the meantime, I would represent to the petitioners that a survey be made bo that a description of the exact boundaries of the new counties could be ready for incorporation in the pro-, poßed Bill. R. Heaton Rhodes, Minister of Hospital and Charitable Aid." "The Minister of Public Health.Tho whole scheme of the Hospital and Charitable Institution Act, 1909, with regard to hospital districts is based on the fact that the whole of the district within the jurisdiction'of a contributory local authority is included in one hospital diitrict. The result is that, if part of a county in which the Counties Act. 1908, is fully in operation were included in one hospital district and the other part of the county in another hospital district, the provisions of the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act, 1909, relating to elections and levies would not be applicable. .As the county would not be a contributory district within the hospital district its electors could not elect representatives to the board and similarly the board could not levy contributions from the county. The only cbbb at present where the whole of a county is not included in one hospital district is that of the Marlborough County where the Picton Road District iB included in the Picton Hospital District. The Counties Act is, however, suipended in the Marlborough County and the definition of a contributory local authority includes a Road Board in any county where the Act iB suspended. With regard to the Taupo West County the Counties Act is not in force in that County and so the above difficulties will not at present arise. The Governor could under section 46 appoint representatives on the Waikato and Taumarunui Hospital Boards respectively in reßpect of that portion of the West Tnupo County included in each hospital district and the Valuer-General could raise the amount of the contribution required by each Board. If however, the Countieß Act iB brought into force in the West Taupo County in the future the effect will practically be to cut that county out of both hospital districts. As the Countieß Act ia not in force in the Wes* Taupo County it would he a simple matter to pbbb an Act dividing it into two Countieß along the boundary suggested for the two hospital districts. This v,ould get over the difficulty and save interfering with the scheme of the Hospitals and Charitable Institution! Act—E. Y. Redward, Assistant Law Officer."