ONE TREE HILL MAYORALTY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 95, 23 April 1931, Page 8

ONE TREE HILL MAYORALTY.

ADDRESS BY I. J. GOLDSTINE.

HOSPITAL FINANCE SYSTEM,

Mr. I. J. Goldstine, a candidate for the Mayoralty of One Tree Hill, opened' his campaign in St.- George's Hall, Penrose, last night. Mr. G. Tomlinson, president of the Penrose Ratepayers' Association, presided.

The candidate said he had been a member of the One Tree Hill Road Board and held the position of deputy-Mayor at the present time. For the last twelve months he had been president of the Auckland Suburban Local Bodies' Association. Having served an apprenticeship he felt qualified to stand for a higher position. After reviewing the borough finances and the work carried out under the unemployment relief scheme, Mr. Goldstine referred to criticism that had lately appeared in the Press in reference to local body administrative costs. He said that administration in One Tree Hill cost 4/8 per head of population, as against 12/ in Auckland city. He did not know what supporters of a greater Auckland scheme had to say to that. One Tree Hill rates averaged 3/4J over the whole district, as against 4/ in the city. One Tree Hill rates were the lowest in the metropolitan area. If he were elected there would be no increase in rates, and if possible he would support a reduction. He promised that if he were returned he would be at the council offices at specified periods during the day, so that ratepayers could interview him personally. Mr. Goldstine outlined an improvement scheme for the district. The estimated cost was £125,000, which should be spread over five years, £25,000 to be spent annually. The increase in rates would be nominal—not more than 3d in the £1. If elected he would bring the scheme forward when the time was opportune. The candidate devoted some time to an explanation of his attitude in regard to the levies made oil local bodies by the Hospital Board. The hospital levy was responsible for a large proportion of the rates struck over a district. In the year 1024-5 the total local body levy was £59,810, or 5/81 per head of population, while in 1928-9 it was £114,529, or 9/11J per head. In the five years the valuation of the hospital district had increased by 40 per cent, the population by 9.5 per cent and the levy per head by 75 per cent. In the ten years from 1919 to 1929, the levy per head had increased by 127 per cent. Outdoor relief should be a charge on the Consolidated Fund. It was a national problem. It was apparent that the fees collected from patients represented approximately 37 per cent of the whole. For tiie ycir 1920-7 the cost of the hospital, including interest and depreciation, was £1.54,553. The cash received from patients for the year was £29,534. If elected he would endeavour to get other local bodies to co-operate with a view to making the whole question national.

M>\ Goldstine introduced Messrs. W. G. Mulholland, C. L. Slylield, W. J. Hancock, M. J. Hooper, J. J. Boyce and J. Elliott, as candidates for the council, prepared to support his policy. On the motion of Messrs. T. Whitehead and K. E. Melton the candidate was accorded a unanimous vote of confidence and support.