HOSPITAL TAXATION

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19885, 11 March 1939, Page 16

HOSPITAL TAXATION

INCIDENCE VERY UNFAIR FARMERS' UNION CHARGE REPLY TO MR. JORDAN (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. j A reply to Mr. T. Jordan, president' of the Municipal Association, who, raised the question of hospital upkeep, is contained in an official state-; ment issued by the New Zealand Farmers' Union last evening. "It would be interesting to ascertain the source of Mr. Jordan's in-j formation," says the statement, "for, neither the Health Department nor' the Hospital Boards' Association isj aware of any recent reliable data being available for this purpose. "ft is noteworthy that Mr. Jordan' .states he is not concerned about who provides the patients. This again is a vital matter so far as the farming community is concerned. Again Mr. Jordan should be particu larly well aware that large areas of farming land are contained within boroughs. "Mr. Jordan also fails to realise that a great proportion of the city rates finds its way into costs which are imposed on the farmer. "Mr. Jordan also omits to state that the proportion of population, according to the 1939 Year Book is, including Maoris, 43 per cent rural .and 56 per cent urban. A large proportion of the Maori rates are not collectable and the farming community also has to stand that cost. iTlie figures demonstrate that even were Mr. Jordan's figures reliable, the- incidence of taxation is still very unfair." I