MEDICAL SCHEME

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23295, 3 April 1941, Page 8

MEDICAL SCHEME

♦ ACTION BY UNIONS IN CITY “The workers are irate over the refusal of the medical profession to enter the State medical service; that is my definite opinion.” Mr John Roberts, president of the Christchurch Labour Representation Committee, said yesterday when announcing that unions were inviting their members to present cards to the doctors. Mr Roberts said he was at a loss to understand the doctors’ attitude. To say that the scheme would lower the standard of the profession was a bogy, because doctors in other parts of the world were asking for a State-salaried medical service. The profession was darkly hinting that it was prepared to submit some other scheme; but the people had not heard of that scheme. “If it means a scheme whereby the poor only are to receive free medical treatment while the other sections arc to continue under the present system giving the right to exploit the middle and higher-paid artisan classes, organised workers will never approve of it,” Mr Roberts said. "It would have a pauperising , effect as far as the workers are concerned and that is what we are seeking to eliminate. We expect that many cards will be presented by unionists to their doctors for signing now that the unions are actively interesting themselves in the Government’s scheme.”

EFFECT ON FRIENDLY SOCIETIES

REDUCTION IN MEMBERSHIP REPORTED (P.A.) AUCKLAND, April 2. “The operation of the Government social security scheme appears to have had a disturbing effect upon the membership of friendly societies,” said Mr C. A. Ryder, District Grand Master, in an address to the district conference of Manchester Unity Oddfellows. “During the first year of the country’s experience of the Government’s social security legislation, the membership of friendly societies of New Zealand was reduced by 4650. leaving the total in 1939 at 109,059." It was unanimously resolved that: “The conference expresses the appreciation of the good work that medical officers of lodges have done in the past, and trust that the happy relations that have existed will continue.”