HOSPITAL COSTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 March 1939, Page 7

HOSPITAL COSTS

FARMERS’ UNION REPLY. [PEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, March 10. The reply to Mr. T. Jordan, president of the Municipal Association, who raised the question of hospital upkeep. is contained in an official statement issued by the New Zealand Farmers' Union this evening. “It would be interesting to ascertain the source of Mr. Jordan’s information,” says the statement, “for neither the Health Department nor the Hospital Boards Association is aware of any recent reliable data being available for this purpose. “It is noteworthy that Mr. Jordan states he is not concerned about who provides the patients. This again is a vital matter for the farming community. Again, Mr. Jordan should be particularly well aware that large areas of farming land are contained within boroughs. Mr. Jordan also fails to realise that a great proportion of city rates finds its way into costs which are imposed on the farmer. -Mr. Jordan also omits to state that the proportion of population, according to the 1939 Official Year Book is (including Maoris) 43 per cent, for rural and 56 per cent, for urban. A large proportion of Maori rates is not collectable, and the farming community also has to stand that cost. The figures demonstrate that, even were Mr. Jordan’s figures reliable, the incidence of taxation is still very unfair.”