COLA AND THE HOSPITALS

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 219, 13 September 1923, Page 8

COLA AND THE HOSPITALS

A SUGGESTED DUTY. TO PAY FOR UPKEEP. (By Telegrapu.-Ow.n Correspondent* HAMILTON-, this to ' During a discussion at the Waikata Hospital Board meeting to-day on th question of valuations for the Z. ' pose of hospital support, M r j Price (Matamata) considered that th I population should be taken into con- ■ j sideration when hospital levies wer .' ■ J being made. ll e also considered that ■ a duty should be levied on coal for W 1 pital upkeep. Gold duty was imposed ,in the gold producing districts a t J present. ' I The coal areas of the Waikato were ' j centres of population whicji necessitated j special facilities for medical aid. At ■ . Huntly tlie board proposed to erect I hospital to cr.M. £10 r OOO. jet all the boarj > received from Huntly was £142 pj r .- annum. Tlie coal companies were wealthy J concerns, which were responsible for [ j these concentrations of population, and . ' were taking wealth out of the land, y e t they paid no dues, although farmere,\rho I worked on the surface, had to pay a fee in rates. j ' It was decided to notify contributing r bodies to bring their valuations up t* % date and also to ask the Government t» * . impose a coal due for hospital upkeep.