"COMPLETE OVERHAUL" NEEDED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 99, 29 April 1938, Page 6

"COMPLETE OVERHAUL" NEEDED.

The Mayor last night expressed consternation at the prospect of an increase of 5L 23,369 in one year in the Hospital Board's levy on th* City Conneil. He pointed out that such an increase, if adopted, would involve an increase in the City Council's hospital rate of 2dd in the $L, and bring it to the unprecedented total of Bd. Sir Ernest's remarks en this matter will be endorsed by the administrators of other local bodies which have to face increases proportionately as large. There is needed "a 'comprehensive overhaul of the incidence of hospital taxation generally." It is remarkable that .the opportunity which presented itself of bringing this matter to the notice of the Select Committee in Wellington has been missed. Evidence was given for the Hospital Hoards' Association, but its president, when asked, is reported to have said that "he did 'not care to make any comment on the existing jsystem of lowil taxation for hospital purposes. That was a matter for th« Legislature." The ratepayers upon whom the burden falls will not share in the apparent hope that the Legislature will do anything to relieve them unless and until it is strongly pressed to do so.