CITY AND HOSPITAL FINANCE

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 21, 26 January 1931, Page 8

CITY AND HOSPITAL FINANCE

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —It seems wrong that the ratepayers are going to fight among themselves over the Mount Victoria- and' Bowen street routes, the same as the City Council did. The- council had to call in a Commission to arbitrate jand examine all routes. It advised, firstly, to go on with the east and west-route, as the council had made a good start at the Karori end, then to take the i Mount Victoria route, and so on as funds permitted. Therefore, it is not the council, but the Commission's schemes that are being carried out. Now, the ratepayers must recognise the tramway is the poor man's car, and is for his convenience, and is not required as a money-making concern. The roads must be widened, footpaths formed for the ordinary man who has •no motor-car, and double tramway tracks made everywhere. The council has gone on steadily doubling rails, and has definitely said it _ will _go on doing this out-of revenue. It is trying hard to keep the universal ticket; all praise to it for this boon. Ratepayers should know, owing to Wellington's steen, hills, that buses can never cany the numbers of people to their homes at rush hours. Ratepayers might suggest to the council too much money is being spent on reserves - and playgrounds. These should wait until all footpath and tram work was finished. The money for Bowen • street tram tracks which comes from the electricity department, is money which _is owing to the Tramway Department, which should be spent, as it is intended, on tram Ratepayers should cast their eyes on the Hospital Board, which advertises considerinsta £22,500 loan on 29th January. Although the general rate for the city has remained the same for two years, the Hospital Board's demand has increased these two years. The board demanded from the ity rates in the: year 1927 £40 169 rising steadily each year by about £0000 -to -£6 ,- •538 in 1931. The board also charges its patients 12s 6d per day, and not many are free patients. These facts ihe ratepayers Should protest against. What are the Civic Lenpic and the Ratepayers Association doing about this?-I am. etc A. S. BOiJJ.