COST OF HOSPITALS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 48, 26 February 1923, Page 4

COST OF HOSPITALS.

AUCKLAND AND WAIKATO

SOME RKMARKABLK FIGURES

The report published in "Star" with regard to the Waikato hospital district is interesting reading. While it is admitted tliat in point of area it is the largest hospital district in the Dominion, when it is compared in other respects with the Auckland hospital district it ie seen that there is a difference between the two districts. Waikato Board has 27 contributing bodies, representing a capital value of £34.000,000, and a population of 87.000. Auckland Board has 34 contributing bodies, representing a ea-pital value of £60,000.000. with a population of fully double that represented by Waikato, which means that from a financial standpoint the Auckland board has double the income of its neighbouring board, from which can be inferred the fact that the activities are in corresponding proportion.

One of the most interesting things from a ratepayer's point of view is tile gradual rise in the levies on local authorities by the Auckland hoard during the past ten years with the increase of the population and the increase of the capital values. In 191:? thp levies amounted to £21.950. the City Council contributing f9f»OS. the Franklin County coming next with £I27<>. Itavnnpori Boroufrh's was £740. In 1918 Auckland City paid £10.000 in hospital lew. Franklin County £2.">nn, or about double that of five years previously, and Devonport Borough contributed £BSO. makinna total levy with all the other places taken in of £32,000. In 191!) the amount had increased to approximately £40.000. A year later it had increased to £55,000, and now it has <»one up to nearly £00,000. Of this amount Auckland City pays £24,474, Franklin County £6022, and Devonport £2000. the ratable values being: Auckland City £22,592.252. Franklin County £5,559,294, and Devonport £1,813,100. The ratable value of Manukau Coiinty is £4,000,000. and the Waitemata County £3.740.:>9;->. X o place is too small to escape the eagle eye of the board's officials, and the little place of Orapiu. valued at £2675, pays £2 18/ in hospital levies, and Ostend, valued at £19.000, j*ya £20 JO/8, pet