EVER INCREASING

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 51, Issue 3133, 19 June 1942, Page 5

EVER INCREASING

HOSPITAL TAXATION SOME RELIEF WANTED PAEROA BOROUGH PROTEST Agreeing that the present system of hospital taxation was most inequitable, members of the Paeroa Borough Council at the monthly meeting of the council agreed to support a resolution sent to the Minister of Health by the Waikato Hospital Board which asked for an increase in the subsidy from the Social Security Fund.

The Waikato Hospital Board’s resolution ’read as follows“ That the Hospital Boards’ Association be •asked to make arrangements to call a conference of representatives of the Class 1 and Class 2 hospital boards -and the Municipal and Counties Associations, to discuss the incidence of hospital taxation, and that they be advised that the board is of the opinion that in the meantime and until the decision of the Government following such conference is made known, the subsidy payable to hospital boards by the Government should be increased immediately or alternatively -the scale of fees payable from the Social Security Fund for treatment ■of patients in hospitals be increased immediately: that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Hon. the Minister of Health and the Hospital Boards’ Association; that all the Bocal Authorities in the Dominion be notified of the board’s recommendation.”

In a covering letter accompanying the resolution the Waikato Hospital Board wrote as follows:—“It is considered that a conference between representatives of the abovementioned authorities' should be •called in order to fully consider the matter and decide what recommendations should be forwarded to the Government for. the alteration in the system of hospital taxation in order to ease the undue burden on ratepayers.

“ Members expressed great concern at the increasing cost of hospital administration and levies on local authorities throughout the Dominion and the opinion was held that the most satisfactory method of approaching the Government would be to take •concerted action through a conference of the parties concerned as suggested, with the object of full representation being made and the desired results achieved.

“The Municipal and the Counties Associations have been advised in terms of the board’s resolution and the Hospital Boards’ Association has been asked to make arrangements to •call a conference of representatives of the parties concerned. “ A copy of the board’s resolution has also been forwarded to the Hon. the Minister of Health and my board would be glad to have your support in this matter. It was decided to support the Waikato Hospital Board in their effort to gain some relief in the matter of hospital taxation. The clerk, Mr R. S. Nicol, provided details of the amount paid by the Paeroa Borough Council to the Thames Hospital Board since 1935 as under: — Year Levy 1935 £616 1936 516 1937 ----- 652 1938 780 1939' 797 1940 1222 1941 675 1942 1071 1943 1085

The clerk added that he considered the reason for the increase in the levy was due to the fact that the Thames, Waihi and Coromandel Hospital Board Districts were abolished on 30/11/37 and the Thames Hospital Board District constituted. The Health Department agreed to make grants to the contributing local authorities of the old Thames District for the first five years. These grants, however, were insufficient to meet the increased costs as a result of the alteration of the boundaries. The reconstitution of the board appears' to have been a factor in increasing the levy. The introduction of the Social Security Act was also responsible for more people using the hospital.

OHINEMURI SUPPORT

CONFERENCE FAVOURED

When the same lettei- from the Waikato Hospital Board was considered by the Ohinemuri County Council it was decided to support the pro-

posed conference. Details of the levy charged the council by the Thames Hospital Board are: — Y ear Levy 1935 - £lOO4 1936 - 834 1937 - 1046 19-3'B 122(1 1939 .... 1946 1940 2674 1941 1473 1942 2429 1943 .... - -- 2046