HOSPITAL LEVY

Grey River Argus, 19 July 1941, Page 8

HOSPITAL LEVY

; BOROUGH COUNCIL CRITICISM At Thursday evening’s meeting of ; the Greymouth Borough Council, Cr J. Saunders moved: "That in view of the alarming increase in hospital levies so far as the Borough of Greyi mouth is concerned the Government Ibe asked to put into operation immediately: (a) A scheme for making i hospital charges payable by the people ! of the Dominion as a whole and not by landowners only; or (b) until the I above reform can "be put into opera--1 tion, that all State holdings in boroughs and counties be valued and rated in the same way as ratepayers; and that copies of this resolution be forwarded to Mr James O'Brien, M.P. the Acting-Prime Minister, the Minister for Health, Hon. P. C. Webb (Member for Buller) and the Municipal Association.” ■ The Greymouth Hospital Board forwarded a statement of its accounts for the year 1941. Cr. Saunders moved that thev be received, and a protest be made by the council at the increase in the levy. It was. he said, the same old story. The levy was going up and up and up, and. had come to a point when ratepayers could not be asked to pay more. There was some £230,225 capital value on which hospital rates were not being collected. The time would come when ratepayers could no longer carry the burden. Cr C. Neville seconded the motionremarking that it was not going far enough. Cr P. Blanchfield moved an amend- . ment that the Borough Council give full support to the Hon. A. H. Nord- , meyer, in his attempt to nationalise the health service. If the amendment were carried it would save any discussion. He personally was hon- i ouring an election pledge in moving it.

Cr G. M. Truman seconded the ! amendment. The amendment was lost bv 6 votes to 4, the mover, seconded, Cr Kent and Cr McKane voting for. Cr Saunders moved a further motion that the representation of tne Borough on the Hospital Board be increased to six members. He said that on the basis of allocation it was only right that the council should have a further renresentative on the board. Cr J. B. Kent said that the representation was on n ->onulation basis. Cr F. F. Boustrid —■ said the question of copulation did not come info the matter, which was the allocation of levies. It was criminal to rate upon capital value, the man who improved his property having to nay more than the man who let his place go to ruin. It was rather a vicious arrangement that the man who made sickness by allowing his property go to waste, should nay less than tne man who prevented illness by keep-

in- his place in good condition. Cr Kent said that as wealth was a national matter, health should also be a national matter. The motions were carried: