“Only One Argument Counts In N.Z.”-MacKay

Northern Advocate, 10 April 1943, Page 2

“Only One Argument Counts In N.Z.”-MacKay

The secretary of New Zealand Counties' Association forwarded to the Whangarei County Council yesterday a report on the result of a conference with the Minister for Health on March 17 re hospital rating. The following proposals were discussed:

(1) That hospital rating based on income. salaries and wages replace the present unfair incidence of capital value.

(2) That the bed subsidy of 6/- per day be increased. (3) That after-care of soldiers be a charge on the war expenses account. In June last the Prime Minister said he would agree to No. 3. and that some increase should be made in (2), but he would not consider (1) during the war. Since then no decision had been announced by the Government, and the matters were brought before the Minister for Health by the Counties’ Association.

The Minister stated he would not discuss the incidence question, as the Prime Minister had made a pronouncement last year that no investigation would be made into the problem until affer the war. He did not think an increase in bed subsidy a sound way of securing the relief desired. An increase of 1/would mean a total expenditure of £75.000. He favoured any increase coming from the Consolidated Fund in the form of increased subsidy for maintenance. Further Proposals After the deputation had retired to reconsider their requests to the Government, they submitted the following proposals to the Minister: (1) That future hospital rating should be based on income, salaries and - wages. (2) That all capital costs (past and future) be the sole responsibility of the Government.

(3) That the present scale of maintenance subsidy to hospital boards be increased in the ratio of 3 to 2.

The Minister replied that he did not hold out much hope of the two organisations getting both (2) and (3), but he would present the requests to the Government.

The chairman (Mr. J. A. S. Mac Kay) said he attended a similar conference at which the Minister promised to have an announcement made before March 31.

There was no probability of any alteration of the incidence of taxation affecting salaries and wages or increase in bed subsidies from the Social Security fund. Any change in the incidence of taxation and any further contribution towards occupied beds would be in some way less favourable to present ratepayers.

“The Federation of Labour endorses this policy, and this body practically controls New' Zealand,” Mr. Mac Kay said. “There is only one argument that counts, and that is direct action, the result of which we have recently seen in this and other districts.”