FREE LOAN ASKED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 117, 19 May 1945, Page 10

FREE LOAN ASKED

SAME AS TO MINERS

HOSPITAL BOARD VIEW

O.C. WHANG ARE I, this day. The recent £6000 interest-free loan by .the State to Huntly miners for a hall has had its first repercussions among local bodies. The Bay of Islands Hospital Board will send a deputation to request similar assistance in its £156.000 building programme. This decision was reached after consideration of plans for the new men's ward, a maternity hospital at Kaikohe, additions to Kawakawa maternity annexe and sundry items. It was computed that a total hospital levy of £13,200 would be needed, roughly double the levies imposed for the current financial year. It meant that the hospital rate in the county would be approximately 6d as against last year's 2§d. The programme has been formally approved by the Health Department as being necessary. Last November the board asked for £80,000, interest free, to finance the works. Following some discussion, Mr. Williams moved that a deputation comprising the chairman (Mr. G. H. McKenzie), Mrs. M. E. Johnston and the secretary go to Wellington as soon as possible to interview the Minister of Health and Minister of Finance with a definite request for the' issue of an interest-free loan similar to that made available to the miners for their hall; the issue of a grant to ease the position and make building possible; and a stabilisation of the hospital rate. Seconding the motion, Mr. Atkinson asked the mover to allow the request to the Government to be: "The obtaining of finance whereby the financial burden on the ratepayer will not be increased." Mr. Williams ajpproved this. The chairman drew attention to various intimations that Government decisions on such policy matters would probably be held up pending a report of a Parliamentary select committee, and Mr. Williams emphasised that he thought that in view of the grant to the Waikato miners now was an opportune time. Mr. McKenzie agreed, adding: "If we sit he.re waiting for Father Christmas to give us something we shall get nothing." The motion was carried.