HOSPITAL LEVIES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20824, 1 July 1942, Page 6

HOSPITAL LEVIES

DISCUSSION IN HOUSE INTOLERABLE BURDEN (P.R.) WELLINGTON, .this day. Consideration of the Health Department's estimates by the House of Representatives last night gave members an opportunity ot commencing a discussion, on the‘ hospital levy System. The adjournment interrupted this debate, but it will be resumed and the Minister in charge, the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer, will then have an opportunity of replying. The high levies of hospital boards, according to Mr. J. A. Roy (Nat., Clutha) were imposing a very heavy burden on local bodies, and in support of this point Mr. C. A. Wilkinson (Nat., Egmont) declared that when the social security scheme came into operation the people were led to believe that the hospital levies would decrease. They had been badly disappointed as the Government so misunderstood the position that it had allowed only 6s a day in respect to patients in hospitals. Mr. J. O'Brien (Lab., Westland): The boards were not collecting that anyhow. Mr. Wilkinson declared that the position was becoming intolerable and a wave ol' feeling was being shown all over .the country regarding the high hospital levies on local bodies. He knew of one case where the hospital rate amounted to 4J per cent of the unimproved value of" property, so that, in effect, the local body was really the owner of the property and .the so-called owner was merely the caretaker.