HOSPITAL COSTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23995, 19 June 1941, Page 14

HOSPITAL COSTS

LEVY ON LOCAL BODIES

EVER-INCREASING BURDEN

GISBORNE MAYOR'S COMMENT (0.C.) GISBORXE, Wednesday

"We have urgent and costly problems of our own to deal with and the everincreasing hospital levy has a definite effect on our ability to maintain, let alone improve, existing amenities," said the Mayor, Mr. N. H. Hull, when the Borough Council was discussing the estimates for the year, The Mayor pointed out that the levy had increased by £2815 on last year and was now £10,200, compared with £5570 five years ago. The hospital rate now equalled Jl7 per cent of the general rate. "The ever-increasing drain on the ratepayers by hospital expenditure must cause serious concern," added Mr. Bull, "and there have been ominous references to future expenditure contemplated by the Hospital Board. The incidence of the hospital rate is inequitable in the extreme and the sooner some system is devised whereby the community as a wliolo is taxed for the hospital benefits they enjoy the better. It had been hoped that with the advent of social security the burden on ratepayers would bo lessened, but the converse is the case and no relief is in sight." Rising hospital costs were discussed by the Chamber of Commerce also, and a committee was appointed to compile a report on the question as it affects Gisborne.