ROTORUA'S PRIVILEGES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 667, 18 November 1909, Page 8

ROTORUA'S PRIVILEGES.

The proposal made in the • Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Bill that the town of Eotorua shall form part of, the Bay of Plenty hospital; district was referred to, by. Mr. Macdonald (Bay of Plenty) on Tuesday, whon the Bill was under discussion. He said that the people'of'Eotor.ua did not desire t0..b0, attached-to any, outside district,, but if they ' were to be included in any, such district they ' preferred.to be joined to the Waikato district. The people of Eotorua had been promised that they ;worild'not be liable, for any rates other than, those for> lighting, (Water, and' library 'purposes; ...■'. :: -: The Minister. (Mr. Fowlds) said that provision could be made when the schedules were reached to take Eotorua, out of the Bay'. of Plenty district The people of •■ Eotorua could not expect tq have their sick and poor cared for unless, they contributed. : Tho promise in regard to,rates mentioned by J Mr. Macdonald referred only to ordinary, works. There was no intention to break that promise, but the residents of Eotorua could not' expect, to be re-" lioved from the drity of providing for their sick and poor. ■ It would not be fair that,thio should be a charge on the Consolidated Fund, and • that. tho .residents should ' not contribute anything.' Eotorua in this respect would have to boar its'share of expenditure in common with tho rest of the Dominion; • Mr. Macdonald said that hd;,was in agreement with, the Minister to a certain extent, but Rotorna. was in. a unkpre position, and thero were already, the sanatorium and a cer-tain-amount of hospital: treatment provided. Mr." Fowlds said that tho matter could. be considered:.whbn tho 'schedules wore discussed.