SOCIAL SECURITY ACT

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 12486, 21 October 1938, Page 2

SOCIAL SECURITY ACT

FEELING OF SOME MEDICAL MEN

Dunedin, Oct 20

Among a majority of members of the medical profession in Dunedin, there is a feeling that, before the Government’s national health scheme is brought into operation, the people of New Zealand should be made more widely acquainted with its provisions and that they should learn fully the opinions on the provisions held by those who will be as virtually affected as anyone, the medical men themselves. It is thought that if both sides of the question were put to them, the taxpayers might then indicate by a referendum whether they really want the scheme in its present form or not. Commenting on the scheme, one ot Dunedin’s leading practitioners said the Prime Minister, Mr Savage, should be requested to allow members of the profession from different centres to broadcast on alternate nights for a month their views on the scheme, while on other n ]Shts Mr Savage, or such members of the Government as he might nominate, could put forward the Government s CRS6. “By this means,’’ the practitionei suggested, “the people would become fully conversant with every aspect or the scheme, both from our point of view and that of the Government After the month is up we suggest that a referendum be taken, and, it the people say that they are in of the scheme as it stands, we shall abide by their decision. If, the vote is in our favour, we shall fight to the last ditch. ■“I would emphasise,” he added, “that we desire a referendum to be taken only on the health scheme not on the Social Security Act as a ■whole.” -