HOSPITAL RATES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24911, 9 May 1942, Page 6

HOSPITAL RATES

BURDEN ON LANDOWNERS (F.0.P.R.) WELLINGTON, May 8. The opinion that the hospital rate should be removed from the land owners and that the whole expenditure should be borne by the Social Security Fund was expressed by Mr W. J. Broadfoot (Opposition, Waitomo) during the debate on the Financial Statement in the House of Representatives to-night. The land owner, he said, was bearing triple taxation. He contributed to the Social Security Fund, which was heavily drawn upon for hospital maintenance. Mr Broadfoot said he was amazed at the suggestion of the Minister of Marketing, Mr J. G. Barclay, that if the hospital rate were taken off the Wellington Hospital rating area it would mean the presentation of about £3,500,000 to the property owners. In his opinion, the hospital rate should never have been levied on land. The heaviest penalty was on the home owner in the cities and the farm owners, because business men could pass on the rates as part of their costs.