HOSPITAL LEVIES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3730, 15 December 1927, Page 2

HOSPITAL LEVIES.

PROJECTED INCREASE VIEWED WITH ALARM. BY COUNTY COUNCILS. At Tuesday’s meeting' of the Manawatu County Council, concern was expressed at the possibility of an increase in hospital levies as mentioned by Sir James Wilson at the last meeting of the Hospital Board. The opinion was expressed by Cr. Hunt that the cities where the hospitals were located were getting more advantage from a smaller contribution and the chairman (Cr. Barber) agreed that the burden on the counties was becoming too great in proportion to the use settlers male of the hospital. Cr. Perrett stated that the council should enter its protest at the suggestion to increase the levies and he moved that the ‘‘council viewed with alarm the statement recently made by the chairman of the Palmerston North Hospital Board, that in all probability, it would be necessary to increase the amount of contributions levied on the local bodies for the next financial year and that, in the opinion of the council, the burden of rates collected from counties for hospital purposes is already extremely heavy in proportion to the population living within their areas, and any increase would be a serious matter for county ratepayers.” The motion was seconded by Cr. Hunt and carried. OROUA COUNTY’S OPINION. Referring to the same question at yesterday’s meeting of the Oroita. County Council the chairman (Mr. A. Campbell) said: “Wo know it is an increasing burden which has to be met,” and I think we would, be failing in our duty if we did not continue to hammer away to get an alteration in the present system by which the levies are allocated. We find some hospital boards getting as much as 24s to 25s subsidy in the £, while Palmerston sorth gets only 14s. We understand that the administration of the Palmerston North Hospital is quite satisfactory and that the expenses are in keeping with other hospitals.” Cr. 0. McElroy: Lower in most cases. Continuing the chairman expressed the opinion that the Council had to associate itself with the demand for a more equitable distribution. At present levies were collected on the capital value basis without any consideration of population. The Council owed a duty to the claim for a fairer allocation and it was only by hammering away that justice would be done to the counties. Cr. W. Greenhow, who introduced the discussion explained that the Hospital Board was forced with the necessity of meeting the increasing use of the institution. It was not a matter of choice but one of compulsion. Cr. 0. McElroy considerel the Government subsidy too small and had the increased subsidy been granted, that is £ for £, the Board would not be in its present difficult position. Cr. McElroy recalled that Sir James Wilson had said that if the Government took over the institution local bodies would lose their say. On the motion of the chairman, seconded by Cr. Greenhow the following resolution was carried unanimously “That this Council views with alarm a possible increase in the hospital rates and owing to the increasing burden thrust upon the ratepayers considers the time has arrived when effect should be given to the proposal of the Counties’ Association for a more equitable levy.”