HEAVY HOSPITAL RATES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17964, 14 December 1921, Page 11

HEAVY HOSPITAL RATES.

SELWYN COUNTY'S BURDEN. COUNTRY VERSUS !%N^ [bx xelegkaih.—special repo'btbb.] .t; WELLINGTON Tuesday,';' , .The Minister for Public Health., jva's asked *by Mr. D, Jones (Kaiapoi)'if .the Government would agree to some amendment of the' law with a view to easing the heavy'taxation that fell upon country districts- in connection with hospital and charitable aid. In Selwyn County 40 per cent, of their rates were required for this purpose. It was exceedingly difficult to attend to their roads and bridges when they had to pay such heavy taxes. The average cost per. patient to the county was from £26 to >£48 per year, while in small boroughs it was £4 10s, and u> cities £9. • ~, ■ \ ■ The-Hon. ,Q. r J, Parr said-.the Hospital Commission had recentjy reported; and 'did not recommend any essential departure from the present system of taxation The remedy -was largely th* hands of the ratepayers themselves/ They elected their hospital'boards, and if they did not do what was -required the ratepayers could act. •..'.''.

Mr Jones: The cities* control us. Mr. Parr: I cannot agree with that altogether. The amount quoted, 40 per cent., is a very striking one, and I would like to check that figure. I should think there is no other,case in the^Dominion where it. is such a large proportion as that. I can hardly believe it is a normal btate of thing*. , ■',). • Mr. Jones: Last was heavier in that county. Mr. Parr added that the taxation was largely a matter for the ratepayers themselves. It j was impossible to run -mall districts as an alternative to the present system unless they-separated the country from the town. Mr. Jones: The farmer cannot get near a public hospital. Mr. Parr: . Oh, yes, he does where they have good roads. He added that it was a mistake to have ill-equipped hospitals in the country.' , » '-..