THE HOSPITAL BOARD RATE

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23323, 8 May 1941, Page 12

THE HOSPITAL BOARD RATE

Sir—On Monday evening Sir Hugh Acland pointed out an-unfairness in the Hospital Board rating system. Many years ago I pointed out the same unfairness and suggested a fairer method. I would now abolish the present rate on property and put it on income and wages as is now done with the social security payments. It could go out on the same form. A person living in a £2OOO residence now pays the same amount as a small farmer on a farm valued at £2OOO, whereas the occupier of the £2OOO residence in all probability would be making many times the income of the small farmer, possibly more than the farmer with a farm valued at £10,000; but the latter farmer would pay five times the hospital board levy to that of the person whose only property was the £2OOO residence. The farming community is going to be hit worst of all through this considerable rise in the hospital board rate. What farmers pay is out of all proportion to the amount paid by many professional individuals, some businesses with small premises, and many persons living in comparatively low-valued residences drawing good incomes from investments, etc. This method would put the burden upon the shoulders best .able to bear it, and all would contribute something. —Yours, etc., HENRY H. HOLLAND. May 7, 1941.