SERIOUS BURDEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 May 1938, Page 5

SERIOUS BURDEN

NORTH AUCKLAND HOSPITAL RATES. PROTEST BY COUNTY CHAIRMAN. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WHANGAREI, May 6. The Whangarei County this year face a hospital maintenance levy totalling one-third of the rates and the chairman of the council, Mr J. A. S. Mackay, today made a strong protest; He contended the position was so grave as to warrant overhaul of the incidence of hospital taxation. Under the proposed Government scheme ratepayers would be called on to contribute through a levy of 5 per cent on income, through the Consolidated Fund in the same proportion as other members of the community and, in addition, compelled to contribute the whole balance, roughly five shillings daily a patient, in the form of land rates, the last-named contribution not being shared by other members of the community.

There was no country in the world, he said, where the man on the land was compelled to pay such a heavy proportion of the cost of hospital treatment for men, and women of means and leisure who were not ratepayers. He believed the burden of costs would rapidly increase when hospital treatment was free and if the present system of finance were adopted the present rate would be materially increased. The council decided to take the matter up with the Counties’ Association.