NATIONALISATION OF HOSPITALS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 2, 28 September 1937, Page 13

NATIONALISATION OF HOSPITALS

Petone Councillor’s Suggestion

That the nationalisation of hospitals should be undertaken in conjunction with the proposed national health insurance and superannuation scheme was suggested by Or. J. Huggan at the meeting of the Petone Borough Council last night. The distribution of hospital rating, which had “gone up and up” in the last few years, would, he contended, be more equitable if hospitals were nationalised than under the present system whereby each local body had to levy on its ratepayers. After reading the report on a Hawke’s Bay hospital he was more than ever convinced that the present system of control was not quite what it should be.

“If they can nationalise highways they can nationalise the hospitals,” said Cr. Iluggau, moving that the council suggest to the Government that the nationalisation of hospitals be carried out in conjunction with the proposed national health insurance scheme.

The mayor, Mr. A. Scholefield, suggested that Cr. Huggan defer his suggestion till the Bill was presented; then would be the time to make any recommendations. Cr. J. Cumming said the institution of a national health insurance and superannuation scheme was quite a big enough job on its own, without anything else. "Every member of this'council has squealed against the high hospital rating; why not make an effort to ease it?” asked Cr. Huggan. His motion, seconded pro forma, was lost. THREE LOAN POLLS Permission To Be Sought By Upper Hutt Council A motion that application be made to the Loans Board for permission to take a poll to raise £l2OO for the construction of a 100,000-gallon storage tank to maintain pressure for domestic sanitation and fire extinction purposes in the west ward area lapsed for want of a seconder, when it was proposed by the mayor, Mr. A. J. McCurdy, at the meeting of the Upper Hutt Borough Council last night. The council approved the mayor’s proposal to apply for permission to take a poll t,o raise £lOOO to purchase a fire truck with pumping equipment. The council has already approved a like proposal for a poll on a £5OOO loan for housing purposes, and for £l2OO for pumping equipment at Trentham. If permission is given by the board the three polls will be taken simultaneously. The mayor said that whoever took control of fire prevention in the borough would, no doubt, take over the equipment at cost and relieve the council of the liability. To Cr. J. Blewman the mayor said that if the Trentham proposal were rejected the council would have to find the cost of the pumping equipment out of revenue or overdraft. Cr. G. H. Guthrie said he was strongly of opinion that the underwriters should contribute to the cost of the fire-fighting equipment. Their interests were being protected.

Cr. Blewman: In the event of amalgamation. W'ould the fire board take over the liability? Cr. Guthrie: Yes, at valuation. It would be inviting disaster for the borough not to have sufficient equipment to cope with a major fire, said the mayor.