MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1168, 1 July 1911, Page 5

MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.

AUTONOMY FOR AUSTRALIA. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyrlnh* Adelaide, June 30. . Members of the British Medical Association are entering into negotiations with tho view of obtaining local autonomy for Australia.- • "PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS." The affairs of the New South Wales Branch of tho British Medical Association attracted some attention in tho Australian papers a week or two ago, when the Australian Medical Association, a rival organisation, and the friendly societies protested to - the Acting-Chief Secretary (Mr. Flowers) against its alleged boycottiug:>bf roertain.' medical::nien and societies. , Dr. D. H. Beegling,. secretary of the Australian Medical 1 Association, pointed out that tho New' South Wales branch of Medical Association consisted of about GOO out of the 1500 medical practitioners ,in New South Wales, clearly showing that 800 medical men were of opinion that medical interests could be safeguarded without unionism. There was a wrong impression that the association could legally boycott any medical man. Tho British Medical Association of New South Wales was, in every sense, an illegal and tyrannical nionopoly, acting in a most daring minner in restra'nt of trade, not for the general welfare, bivt for their, own selfish ends and aggrandisement. Protection was needed ■ from uninvited slander, protection from insult and undeserved calumny, protection for wives and children from the evil effects of social n-s well as professional ostracism; protection from the selfish cliquism and monopoly which was. permeating all the Government boards, charitablo institutions, and hospitals. Mr. Flower", in reply, expressed regret that the difficulty, which had for some time been growing, had broadened to such an extent as to become an open rupture. While the quarrel continued, the poor .patient, suffered. His own view is that, as far as the public health was concerned, the medical profession must be nationalised, then probably all difficulties would cease. Hosnitals must be free, and have no regard to the financial nisition of the patients. The British. Medical Association had the same right to say that they would rot work be=ide a man ns any unionist had to say that ho would not work beside non-unionists.