GOVERNMENTS CASE

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22478, 12 August 1938, Page 12

GOVERNMENTS CASE

EXPOSITION BY MR NORDMEYER DOCTORS’ OPPOSITION DISCUSSED UNIVERSAL > SLTKKANN CATION THE ULTIMATE AIM fFrom Our Parliamentary Reporter.l WELLINGTON. August 11. An exposition of the Government's case for the introduction of a national superannuation ami health scheme was given by Mr A. H. Nordmeyer i Government, Oamaru), who was chahman of the committee which recently investigated the Government’s proposals, when moving in the House of Representatives to-night that the report of the committee should be referred to the Government for consideration. Dealing with the proposal to institute a free universal general practitioner health service, Mr Nordmeyer said the Stale had a vested interest in the medical profession, because it contributed largely to the training of medical students, and because considerable sums of public money were invested in hospitals. The proposal had met with fairly general opposition, from the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association, which had based its objections on several grounds, said Mr Nordmeyer. One of these was that there was no need for a universal service while many people could pay for their own doctor; but it was by no means certain that the time would not come when they would call on the State to assist them, and in any case the final decision whether or not there should be a general scheme must rest with the Government.

“The association also contended that the development of friendly societies and of the public hospital system rendered unnecessary a scheme- of -the extent proposed,” Mr Nordmeyer said, “but while friendly societies have done and, I hope, will continue to do great work, their members constitute only a small fraction of the total population, and necessarily exclude anyone in unsatisfactory health. Standard of Profession

’it has also been staled that the standard of the medical profession would deteriorate under a universal service; but I cannot see why <ic standard should fall because Uie doctors have not one section of the community they can charge ior t icir services. Some of the hardest work mg and most conscientious doctors in New Zealand are working on salary in public hospitals, without a practice, and any suggestion that the standard would deteriorate under the Governments scheme seems to spring from a fundamental disregard of the ideals of the prolesaion.

“The association has also suggested that the Government's proposal may mean embarrassment to tne commitments of medical men.” Mr Nordmeyer said, “but the Government realises that the labourer is worthy of his iiire, and is setting aside for salaries a sum which, it believes, is greater than the aggregate income of doctors today. The association contended that the proposed scheme would lead to social distinctions; but the committee could not agree with that suggestion and, in fact, considered that a plan put forward by the association would not fit iff with the ideals of the people of New Zealand, as it would divide the community into four sections.”

Hospital Boards Dealing with the Government's proposal to pay §s an occupied bed to hospital boards, Mr Nordmeyer said that the present sum an occupied bed received in fees annually was on the average £4B 2s, while under the scheme this would be increased to £lO9 10s. In the aggregate, the increased amount to go to hospital boards would be about £400,000, while they would also benefit to the extent ol £40,000 from the proposal to pay maternity benefits. In addition, they should save £IOO,OOO in charitable am and £IO,OOO in administrative costs, making a total decrease in their expenses of £550,000. Contributing local authorities would save half of that sum, and. the. average hospital rate should diminish by about Is 3d.

Certain boards had extensive building programmes, and while the Government could not be expected to assume responsibility for these, their other savings would relieve boards considerably in that direction. Referring to the superannuation side, Mr Nordmeyer reviewed pension benefits at present in force, and dealt in detail with the new benefits included in the Government’s proposals. He spoke of the sickness benefits which had been paid out by friendly societies, and suggested that the receipt of a lodge benefit should not prejudice a person from receiving the national benefit as well. He said it was the opinion of the committee that friendly societies should be charged with distributing the national benefit to their own members. There was no reason why members of friendly societies should not continue to remain members. He considered that the proposal to pay State superannuation would have a big effect on the unemployment situation by making retirement possible for many persons who would otherwise have to go on working. “The committee considers that there should be a gradual increase in the amount of allowable income until universal superannuation is reached,” Mr Nordmeyer said in conclusion. "The foundation provided by the Government’s proposals will give us .something on which we may build a scheme tiiat will ultimately give superannuation to every person In the community at a certain age, whatever his income and whatever his property.”