HEAVY DEMANDS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 728, 4 April 1933, Page 5

HEAVY DEMANDS.

Riccarton Criticism of Hospital Board. CONDITIONAL SUPPORT. Protesting that the demands of the North Canterbury Hospital Board on local bodies were already a burden, the Riccarton Borough Council has decided not to support the board’s attempt to raise a loan of £BSOO to complete the new nurses’ home unless the board gives an undertaking to reduce expenditure. The subject was brought up at last night's meeting of the council, when • Mr W. Machin reported on behalf of | the Finance Committee that a request ; for support had been received and that j I the committee had entered a foimal j j protest against the loan, suggesting j that the board give an undertaking j to’ reduce its demands on local bodies as a return for the council’s support. The demands of the Hospital Board j on local bod}' ratepayers had grown j by leaps and bounds, said Mr Machin. ! I They had averaged £ISOO a year on | | Riccarton for the past few years. j j The nurses’ home was built out of j • loan money and the upkeep would be j j £SOOO or £6OOO a year, Mr Machin con- i 1 tinued. It was reasonable in view of j j the demands on ratepayers generally ; i at present that the board should re- j I duce its expenditure and thus its de- ! I mands on ratepayers. ; “ You will notice,” said Mr Machin, ! I ‘ that the loan was obtained in 1930, ‘ j the first slump year. Prudent people j ' were then beginning to curtail their j ! expenditure. I think we are entitled ! to point out that the board did not exhibit that prudence which is expected from a body which has such huge rating power. The Mayor, Mr H. S. S. Kyle, M.P., thought the suggestion should accomplish something, as other local bodies had been complaining in the same tenor.