MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3916, 9 March 1929, Page 3

MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.

Wanganui, March 7. One of the most interesting remits at the Municipal Conference was the following from Taihape, relating to hospital expenditure: “That the powers now possessed by hospital and charitable aid boards of levying contributions on contributory local authorities should be limited to an amount produced by a rate not exceeding—(amount not named) in tho £1 on the capital value of all property within the jurisdiction of the local authorities.” Mr. D. Sullivan, M.P., said that in these times of modern development in hospital equipment it might place hospital boards at a disadvantage to fix any limit. Pounds, shillings and pence were, after all, not everything ,wien the health of ihe individual had to be considered.

Mi’. G. A. Troup (Mayor of Wellington) said surely .there /should be some control of expenditure. There was no control over hospital boards at present, who brought pressure to bear on the Minister. There was. no better overriding control than the general public. Local bodies had a limit, but hospital boards none, and they could go on for ever and ever —a glorious position. A delegate said that the hospital boards should fix the rate and levy it direct to .the ratepayers, and be responsible. If there happened to be a deficit and a limit were fixed who, he asked, was going to make it up? It would fall on the local bodies next year. Mr. J. Morrison said that the grievance of local bodies was that they did not get their notice of levies from the boards until they had made up their estimates. Another delegate poiuted out that there was a tremendous amount of unemployment during the last two years, and this caused a big drain on the boards. In good times the proportion of fees collected was higher. The chairman said that as far as Wanganui’s experience was concerned the representatives were very keen to conserve the ratepayers’ money. Mr. Cooke (Christchurch) said that an eminent medical authority had said that research -work was infinitesimal to what it should be for hospital boards. An amendment was moved that the Government be asked to make provision for the representation of/ boi’ough Councils on hospital boards. This was carried.