SOCIAL SECURITY LEVY

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22666, 22 March 1939, Page 3

SOCIAL SECURITY LEVY

Payments by Lodge Members REFUND SOUGHT FOR PERIOD (press association telegrams.) AUCKLAND, March "21. A decision to ask the Government to refund to lodge members the Social Security levy of Is in the £ between April 1 and the date upon which the medical and hospital provisions of the act become operative was reached at the biennial conference of the Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows at Auckland.

Bro. A. G. Shrimpton, Grand Secretary, stated that members paid £2 8s a year to their lodges for medical and related benefits. Whether they should .pay the full Is in the £ immediately the act came into operation was one which had still- to be settled with the Minister for Social Security, the Hon. W. Nash. The conference authorised the preparation of legislation to deal with problems arising out of the Social Security Act, and decided to call a special meeting to consider such legislation. Although the Dominion Council of Friendly Societies had received no information relative to the medical benefits under section 3 of the act, Bro. Shrimpton expressed a personal opinion that if ever the issue between the Government and the British Medical Association was settled, a medical ollicer would receive about 15s a head a year, which would mean in a household of five a total of £3 15s yearly, whereas the present payment on the same basis was approximately £2 Bs. Suggestion from Minister

A suggestion had been received from the Minister that the machinery now available through the friendly societies should be used for the payment of sickness benefits to persons in the households of friendly society members, and for the payment of benefits in small centres where the establishment of an office of the department would be unwarranted. The Government recognised, stated the Minister, that the societies would have to be reimbursed for such service. It was reported that the Government had given no further indication about payments to hospital boards on behalf of members who may receive hospital benefits.

The suggestion was made that the medical benefits of the act should be made to date from a time to correspond with the present lodge quarter. The position regarding the maternity allowance of £6 now being paid to friendly. society members was discussed, and information was sought as to' Whether this would continue when the- maternity benefit under the act CEupe into, operation. Mr G. C. Laws, District Secretary. Hawke’s Bay, reported that he had been advised that the National Provident Fund would continue to honour claims until the Government scheme ’Becamb’ operative. • It was further stated that the Gov.ernmept scheme would make it optional for a member to take his bene'fit under the Social Security Act or through the lodge. If taken through the lodge, the £3OO salary bar would operate, but this would not apply if the benefit was taken under the Social Security Act. A new rule was adopted to allow the society to co-operate wholeheartedly with the Government in the administration of the scheme.

DATE OF MEDICAL BENEFITS STATEMENT BY BOARD CHAIRMAN (press associatiox telegram) NEW PLYMOUTH, March 21. The importance of the simultaneous introduction of medical practitioner and hospital benefit' schemes provided under the Social Security Act was, emphasised by the chairman of the' Taranaki Hospital Board, Mr P. E. Stainton, at a meeting. of the board to-day. The Government, said Mr Stainton, had been unable to reach an arrangement with the medical profession, but it was anxious to begin the hospital benefit scheme. That would mean absolute chaos in hospital administration if there was a hospital benefit scheme and no medical practitioner service. The public would be entitled to go direct to a hospital for free service instead of paying a doctor’s fee first. Hospital boards would be unable to give the tremendous service required and would fall very low in public opinion.