HOSPITAL LEVY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 136, 11 June 1942, Page 4

HOSPITAL LEVY

POSSIBLE RELIEF

The Mayor, Mr. Hislop, stated to members of the City Council last night that though the Prime Minister had said, in answer to the council's deputation, that there was no possibility during the war of changing the incidence of hospital taxation, he had subsequently expressed to Mr. Hislop the opinion that the cost of treating war patients should not be a charge upon ratepayers. Therefore, said Mr. Hislop, there was a likelihood of some relief to ratepayers, but, at the present its degree could not be stated. The total rate levy for 1942-43, said the Mayor, amounted to £656,729. This would require a rate of 9 69-800 din the £1. He asked the council to approve the following rates (the formal resolution to be passed at the first meeting in July) so that preparation of the demands in time for issue on or about August 1 would be possible:— General rate, <. 403-800 d; library rate, 114-800 d; hospital and charitable aid rate, 1 655-800 d; interest, 2 255-800 d; water. 1 242-800 d. Total, 9 69-800& The Prime Minister, in answer to the deputation's request that hospital expenditure should be met from national funds, had stated definitely that there could be no possibility of a change in the system of taxation during the war, said Mr. Hislop, and however they might disagree, they had to accept it as the Government's attitude. The Prime Minister did say,^ however, that he would go into the' questions of giving a further grant to hospitals and whether it was possible to increase the present .Gs a day from Social Security to some larger figure. NO OTHER SOLUTION. He had since communicated with the Prime Minister, who had informed him that the questions were still being in- j quired into, but Mr. Fraser had expressed the opinion that military patients should not be a charge upon the ratepayers. But the position was that a statutory demand had been made upon the council and they had to make provision to meet it. Should jit so happen that the Government decided to make a further reduction to tho maintenance of hospitals before the rate was struck it could be reduced accordingly, but otherwise the rate as set out would be payable, and if relief was subsequently granted that amount would be in hand for the relief of ratepayers next year. There did not appear to him to be any other solution.