DENTISTS BILL

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 106, 31 October 1936, Page 14

DENTISTS BILL

MEMBER'S OBJECTION

HOUSE PASSES MEASURE

With the Key. A. H. Nordmeyer (Government, Oamaru) leading the attack, a moderate fire of criticism was directed at the Dentists Bill when it came forward in the House of Representatives for consideration early this morning. The main points on which he disagreed with the measure involved the provisions relating to companies and to advertising. The Bill, for which urgency had been taken, was passed at 1.35 ojclock this morn-, ing. , ... . In a" brief second-reading speech, the Minister of Health (he Hon. P. Fraser) said that members were familiar with the position.- The Bill was prepared last year by the previous Minister of Health, but was not gone on with. He wanted to indicate, as he had indicated to members privately, that he undertook to place the. Bill before the House and see •that it got a fair run. He understood, that there was no opposition, to it. Mr. Nordmeyer said he was not at all satisfied that this was a Bill that should be brought down in the dying hours of the session. There were two features he disliked. One was clause 28, i which referred to companies. If the law -were passed it would definitely forbid any company carrying on a dental business in the Dominion. He held no brief for them, but he thought the companies were entitled to some credit for bringing down the price- of teeth. The price had been unreasonably high and these people had done no small service to the community in making cheaper teeth available. While it was true that companies were not absolutely abolished, the present companies would definitely be abolished in ten years' time. Apart altogether from that, however, they must be abolished immediately, unless every member happened to be a dentist, and as there were bound to be companies where this did not apply, it meant that those companies must go out of business. The other provision he disliked was the one concerning newspaper advertising. "The whole idea of the Bui is that dentists shall be controlled in the same way as the medical profession," said Mr. Nordmeyer, "and the medical profession is not allowed to advertise. In the same way the dentists will not be allowed' to advertise. I know no reason why the dentists should not advertise if the drapers do. If it is true, as it has been stated, that the advertisements are misleading, that can be remedied in a way other than by stopping advertising." . He said that it was almost certain that pressure would be brought to bear by the Dental Council to stop advertising absolutely. For those two reasons he would have to vote against the Bill. _. . Dr. D. G. McMillan (Government. Dunedin West) said he regretted that the statements of Mr. •Nordmeyer were contrary to fact. The firms that had been advertising so widely and bringing down the cost of services were not companies. . Many of the advertisements were considerably misleading. The Dental Council had no power in connection, with advertising; only the Minister had. ■ The Bill was read a second time on the voices. ~ -. T , In the Committee stage, Mr. Nordmeyer said that the dental companies had succeeded in reducing the price of dentures in New Zealand. , Mr J. A. Lee (Government, Grey Lynn) suggested that dentists should be allowed to advertise the price of dentures. The Minister said that if the national health scheme was put into operation next year, the dentists would get a better chance than "ever. . Mr. Nordmeyer asked the Minister whether he would permit the advertising of the price of teeth. The Minister said he would give the matter consideration.

* The Bill was passed.