SUB JUDICE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 108, 9 May 1941, Page 8

SUB JUDICE

LODGE BENEFITS

SECRETARY'S STATEMENT

"With regard to the medical benefits for lodge members under the Social Security Act and the proposed payment by the Government for the fees of lodge members, I wish to state that this matter is still more or less sub judice," said the secretary of the United Friendly Societies' Medical Institute, Mr. W. H. McCombie, in a statement to-day. "Lodge members are strongly advised to continue to pay their usual contributions for the lodge service until such time as the Government and the doctors come to some agreement. Otherwise they may find themselves left without any service when overtaken with illness, and will have to pay full fees to any doctor they call in." It had been earlier reported that a decision to retain until further notice the present system of medical service under which members of friendly society lodges are attended by the lodge doctors and pay lodge medical dues, had been made by the societies' medical institute board in Auckland. Before making this decision the board considered the Government's proposal to refund to lodges medical dues of financial members unable to secure the services of doctors under the State medical benefits scheme.