MONEY FOR HOSPITAL PURPOSES

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 242, 9 July 1938, Page 15

MONEY FOR HOSPITAL PURPOSES

Revision Of Method Needed

WELLINGTON MAYOR’S VIEW

An announcement that, he would take stops to urge ui>on the Government the necessity of a complete revision oi the methods of raising money for hospital purposes was made yesterday by the mayor of Wellington, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop. The recommendations of the Royal Commission which sat to consider the Wellington Hospital Board s building projxisals would have the effect of placing an intolerable burden on the ratepayers, and the question was one of immediate importance, said Mr. Hislop. , , “I have throughout looked at tne question from the point of view of the means of the ratepayers of Wellington to meet the expenditure involved in the proposals,” said the mayor. “Naturally I am more than ever perturbed when I find that the commission makes recommendations involving expenditure of approximately £lOO.OOO more than the original proposals made by the board themselves. There can be no doubt whatever that this expenditure, together with the maintenance charges involved when the work is completed, is going to place on the ratepayers of Wellington an intolerable burden. “For my own part, I shall bo taking steps at the earliest possible moment, after consulting my colleagues, with a View to urging upon the Government the necessity of an entire revision of the present method of raising money for hospital purposes. In my view, it is quite wrong that a limited number of people, namely, the ratepayers, should be called upon for special contributions for the purpose of carrying on these general purposes. “The recommendations of the commission now make this question one of immediate importance, and, unless the Government can be prevailed upon to alter entirely the present methods of taxation for hospital purposes, then there will be a crippling burden on (his city, and no doubt on other cities throughout New Zealand where similar heavy expenditures are embarked upon.” ■