MATERNITY BENEFITS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 165, 15 July 1939, Page 8

MATERNITY BENEFITS.

It is pleasing to see that at the Auckland Civic League the maternity benefits under the Social Security Act -were discussed tti attention was drawn to a letter written if Mrs. A. M. CLeary in which she -urged tie women of Auckland to uphold the women of other centres in their protest. I feel on most, if not all, the doctors -would irebat the maternity benefits, provided thajkffc scheme could be carried out in a eaple manner. The following method ehooli *> away with the necessity for filling up fane, etc. It should be entirely optional for fie patient to avail ihereelf of the benefit, or not, as she decides. As the scheme stands at ■present, if she wante to enter a nursing home, which has accepted the scheme she mart automatically be a recipient of. the benefit, whether she wants to or not. Numbers of patient* prefer to remain independent of filling up forme and disclosing to public officials private matters which concern themselves alone. If ehe does want the benefit, then it can be arranged in the following manner: The bille are eent to the Socul Security Office by the doctor and the nursing lininc. and the cheques are sent to them. Anytliinjr over and above the decided amounts (nursing home £11. doctor £5) to be the individual responsibilities between the parties concerned. By such a system everybody concerned remains free of Departmental tions. Ted tape and other irksome MB irritating interference. (Aleo the Government would be saved thousand* of pounds by these simple methods.) It is not the money tto doctors aTe complaining about but the enbservience to inspectors, official returns. Governmental control and orders, with their 'thon shalts" and their "thou shalt nots," red-top* restrictions, orders and counter-orders. I trust the women of this country will prese MB matter. FREEDOM.