HOSPITAL RATING

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 54, Issue 32596, 13 July 1945, Page 5

HOSPITAL RATING

UNDER CONSIDERATION REPLY FROM MINISTER OHINEMURI COUNTY COUNCIL “With reference to your letter of May 24, I can assure your council that the question of hospital rating has been for some time and is still under active consideration,” stated, a letter from the Minister of Health, Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer, to the July meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council. The letter continued:—

“It has been necessary to undertake a review of the position in all districts and the department has prepared a considerable amount of data for this purpose. “In addition, as your council will no doubt be aware, the Parliamentary Select Committee is to report on the question of hospital finance. It is considered advisable that the recommendations of that committee should be awaited before a determination is made by the Government, particularly in view of the great deal of evidence which it is known l the committee has received.”

PETITIONS TO COUNTY

NOT MAJORITY OF RATEPAYERS

At the July meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council the clerk, Mr A. A. Jenkinson, reported that he had replied to the Whakatane County Council’s letter on the question of hospital rating as under: — “I have to acknowledge receipt of your circular letter forwarding copy of a petition presented to your council, and also a copy of the resolution passed by your council in connection therewith. This was placed before my council at' its- June meeting and at the same time the council received a deputation of two members of the Waihi branch of the Farmers’ Union

representing only a portion of the ■county, asking that the council refuse to collect a hospital rate for this year. “The deputation stated l that they possessed a petition signed by practically 10i0i% of ratepayers of two ridings in this county, but the petition was not handed to the council until after the whole matter 'had been •dealt with.

“ After a lengthy discussion the following resolution was passed:— “That the 'Whakatane (County Council ibe advised that a petition asking the council to refuse to collect a hospital rate in the year 194546 was received from the Waihi ■Branch of the New Zealand 'Farmers’ Union during the course of the meeting and that no action was taken, but that the matter he thrashed out at the Counties l Conference and that this council’s delegate be instructed l to vote for the lowest possible hospital levy and for no increase this year or any subsequent year.” “ Although the deputation stated that practically 100% of the ratepayers had signed the peti-

tion, it was ascertained that not even a majority of the ratepayers in the two ridings had signed. Some who had signed were nonratepayers and others appeared to be ratepayers of the Waihi borough.”