HOSPITAL LEVY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 171, 21 July 1936, Page 8

HOSPITAL LEVY.

BURDEN ON COUNTIES. "BOROUGHS GET BENEFIT." When a letter was received from the Auckland Hospital Board at a meeting of the Manukau County Council" this morning, advising that the council's proportion of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board's levy for the current year would be £5055, the chairman, Mr. F. M. Waters, remarked that the counties were being hit hard all the time. The levy, lie said, was £412 more than last year. Mr. Waters said that the reason given for the increase was on account of revaluations of property which had been made in several local body areas. The "values had been reduced, which meant that the hospital levy had to" be increased. "We have not had a revaluation in the counties since 1928,' and those bodies which have not had a revaluation are being penalised," he said. "The whole thing wants reorganising. We are paying as much as 50 per cent more per head of population than some local bodies. I took out figures some years back, ancl the counties were paying about 12/ per head. Two of the largest and t ,,! "kly populated boroughs were payincr ' or 6/. The thickly populated boroughs near the hospital get all the benefit. We have made several requests in the past to get a reduction, but to no purpose." The council decided to ask the VainerGeneral in what year it was intended to make a revalution of the counties.