HOSPITAL LEVY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19308, 8 October 1932, Page 8

HOSPITAL LEVY

NEW METHOD OF COLLECTION PROPOSED.

SUGGESTION BY MACKENZIE COUNTY COUNCIL.

In accordance with notice given. Mr Geo. Murray moved at yesterday’s meeting ’of the Mackenzie County Council, “That it be a remit to the Counties’ Association that hospital levies should be levied similarly to the unemployment levy at present operating in New Zealand.” Mr F. J. Carter seconded the motion.

Mr Murray said that a change was desirable as the present contributions were levied on valuation, with the result that the country population paid more per head than townspeople. The way the money was raised was unfair. The scheme he proposed would not cost more than 10 - or 12/6 per head. It was also unfair, he thought, that the hospital rate should be deducted from Government subsidies received by the Council.

Mr W. Scott said that for some time an amendment of the hospital levy had been desired, and Parliament had been loth to take action. The people in Timaru used the hospital and country people paid for it.

In the opinion of Mr A. F. Campbell, the present method of collecting the levy was inequitable. If the suggestion was workable there was no harm in giving it a trial. The chairman (Mr C. J. Talbot) said that the Farmers’ Union and the Counties’ Association had been hammering away at an alteration for

years, the latest scheme being that half of the money should be raised on the rateable value of property and the remainder on a population basis. In his opinion i. was unfair to expect a man on a 10.000-acre run to pay the same as a working man with a large family.

In the opinion of Mr W. T. Smith. Mr Murray’s scheme was a good insurance against sickness.

Mr Murray said that the estimated cost to each person would be only 10/per year. If the levy was looked upon as a poll tax the scheme could be amended providing the principle remained.

Mr Scott asked if the Farmers’ Union could secure a hospital bed scheme such as the one operating in Timaru for the Friendly Societies. The motion was carried, the chairman voting against.