HOSPITAL LEVIES AND SUB SIDES.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 May 1918, Page 8

HOSPITAL LEVIES AND SUB SIDES.

STATEMENT BY MINISTER. UNFAIR SYSTEM TO BE ALTERED. By Telegraph.—'Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Minister of Public Health, referring to-day to the discussion on levies at the Wellington Hospital Board meeting, said it was true that in IMC he promised the Karon Borough Council he would endeavor to readjust the system on which subsidies were paid, in order to bring about more equitable treatment. Shortly after coming into office, he began to evolve a system which Would assist the poorer hospital districts and have the effect of placing the richer districts upon practically the same basis. This reform was prepared for the session of 1017, but the decision of Cabinet that legislation should be confined to war measures prevented him from having an opportunity of bringing the proposals before the House. The Minister gave an opinion that the subsidy should depend on the rate levied by the local authority. ]f the district levied a rate above the average, now about one-seventh of a penny in the pound, the subsidy should be increased. He proposed to bring the matter before Cabinet again as one of urgency, with a view to an alteration of the unfair system. Next session a Bill would be prepared for that purpose.