MOTOR-CYCLE ACCIDENTS

Taranaki Daily News, 24 July 1931, Page 9

MOTOR-CYCLE ACCIDENTS

PAYMENT OF HOSPITAL FEES

PROPOSAL FOR INSURANCE.

The losses sustained by the community owing to motor-cycle accidents was referred to at the annual meeting of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce last night by Mr. W. J. Freeth. At the last meeting of the Taranaki Hospital Board, he said, Dr. Rich had stated that these cases had resulted in a clear loss of £550 to the board during the vear. In nipe out of tep. of such accidents the hospital account was not paid owing to the motor-cycle being held on the time-payment system. Four veara ago the 'Clifton county ratepayers were paying £550 per annum in hospital rates, whereas now the levy had increased to £lB2O, or practically 20 per cent, of the total rates. At the present rate of increase it was impossible to say what the levy would amount to in a few years* He. considered they should press the Government io pass legislation making itcompulsory that the owner of every vehicle held under the time-payment system should- pay into an insurance fund s° as to recoup hospital boards fbr. expenditure caused owing to accidents. Mr. F, Amopj-g sajd the matter would be thoroughly ventilated in a remit to be dealt with at the forthcoming conference <•£ the North Island Motor Union. The president (Mr. L. M. Moss) said under the English system there was insurance provision, whereby in every accident case the hospital received £25, no matter whether the injury sustained was serious or not. In New Zealand Mr. Justice Reed had introduced a rule that in cases wh?re damages were recovered the money had to he paid into court and the hospital fees were paid therefrom.