THE HOSPITAL LEVY.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume III, Issue 146, 5 June 1913, Page 4

THE HOSPITAL LEVY.

Tur Naoier Bcrettsh Council is ■ a* ions that i. b-uhi Co made pi - ’ t’ ’n .be pubim i1,.-'. £‘ss2 is not bi in” borrowed from the Government f<m

the piwpmm of paying the ordinary hospital levy. The council Ims visited "I. tide" so frequently lately i h.it a mi s a, rwxis .- ml jump: whenever tne word loan is menti<nicd. The M.ivcr tuck quite a hit i? ; paing Inst night to explain the position, tin.l he s. l ined to think it w :is quite untair that any person or p< r■i.ns sj. ( U l ( [ misunderstand the proposed fmanrid transaction. He cm jpbiisbri] .he fact thru the loan i- | not for the ordinary levy. Just so, bid the board has made a lovt and I the council has got. to raise a loan !io meet it .and if the public do mi* rt cogiiise the dilfi reiii'e the Mayor I may rest: assured it is not tht l onh i point in borough tinam c the people are uncertain about. Houcvcv. i. appears on this occasion that th? Hospital Board lias set <>nt <m .< building plan which promises t<> collect a good few thousands from the coffers of the local bodies interested during the next few years. A- an initial payment Napi< i borough was asked for £‘Bs2. It has not the money—hence the appeal to "Uncle." Whether for ordinary revenue purposes or capital outlay lhe ratepayers will have to pay the bill, and it is just one more illustration of the enormously* heavy cost the hospital and charitable aid institutions are becoming upon the

local authorities. It is accost which is ever growing, and at the present juncture there is n<> clear indication of the way out. Government should take an early opportunity of looking into the whole question and rendering some additional assistance yvhere deserved.