USE OF BIG STICK

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 109, 10 May 1941, Page 13

USE OF BIG STICK

"COURSE IMPERATIVE"

MINISTER CRITICISES B.M.A.

(P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. "Nobody likes to wield the big stick or cares to have to force people to do things that they will not do voluntarily, but at the same time the actions of dome people make that course not merelv desirable but imperative." declared the Minister of Health, the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer, to-night after condemning an action of the British Medical Association, as disclosed in a letter he read, in advising doctors to terminate their present arrangements with lodges if lodges accepted the Government's subsidv.

A copy of a letter purported to have been signed by Dr. H. Pullar. of the pathological department of the Palmerston North Hospital, in his capacity as honorary secretary of I the Palmerston North division of the British Medical Association, was read as follows by the Minister at a social of the Christchurch South branch of the Labour party:—"Dear Sir. —1 have been asked" by the chairman of the National Health Insurance Committee of the British Medical Association to notify all secretaries of local friendly societies as follows: If friendly soc : .etiesj accept a subsidy from the Govern-1 I merit's Social Security Fund they 1 1 will endanger their existing arrange-! iments for medical services. All 'doctors who undertake lodge praci tice have been advised by the] I council of the British Medical Asso-, Iciation to terminate their present! ; contracts or arrangements with! ! lodges if this Government subsidy is accepted by lodges." "Actions such as this latest taken by the British Medical Association brings the day closer." said the Minister, "when the Government, however anxious it may be to be co-operative, however anxious it may be to extend the olive branch, however anxious it may be to have this agreement made amicably, will have to use strong measures with an organisation which stoops—l use the term ! advisedlv—to the tactics revealed in jthe letter I have read. The Govern- • ment is not going to allow its ! promise to the people to be unfulfilled."