GOVERNMENT CASE

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 271, 12 August 1938, Page 12

GOVERNMENT CASE

General Practitioner Service

REPLY TO THE B.M.A.

Committee’s Chairman On Final Decision

An exposition of the Governments case for the introduction of its national superannuation and health scheme was given by the Rev. A. 11. Nordmever (Government, Oamaru), who was chairman of the Parliamentary select committee which investigated the Government’s proposals, when moving in the House of Representatives hist night tlie formal resolution that the report of the committee should be referred to tl.e Government for consideration. , Dealing with the proposal to institute a free universal general practitioner health service, Mr Nordmeyer said the State 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-objec-tions on several grounds; Mr. Nordmeyer said. Otie of these was that theie was uo 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 whin they would call on the State to assist them, and, in any case, the final decision whether 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, although the 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 stated that the standard of the medical profession would deteriorate under a universal service, but I cannot see why the standard should fall because the 'doctors have not one section of the community they can charge for their services. Some of the hardest working and most conscientious doctors in New Zealand are working on salary in the public hospitals without a practice, and any suggestion that the standard would deteriorate under the Government’s scheme seems to spring from a fuu’damental disregard of the ideals of the profession. “The association has also suggested that the Government’s proposal may mean embarrassment, to the commitments of medical men. but the Government realises that the labourer is worthy of his hire, and is setting aside, a sum which it believes is greater than the aggregate income of doctors to-day. 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 the plan put forward, by t.h<j association would not fit in with the ideals of the people of New Zealand as it would 'divide the community into four sections.” Dealing with the Government’s proposal to pay 6/- per occupied bed to hospital boards, Mr. Nordmeyer said that the present sum per occupied bed received in fees annually was on the average £4B/2/-, while under the new scheme this would be increased to £lO9 10/-. In the aggregate the increased amount to go to hospital boards would be about £400,000, while they would also benefit to the extent of £40,000 from the proposal to pay maternity benefits. In addition, he said, they should save £lOO.OOO in charitable aid, and £lO,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 1/3. Certain boards had extensive build-*, ing programmes, and while the Government could not be expected to assume responsibility for these, their own savings would relieve the

boards considerably in that direction.

Referring to the superannuation side, Mr. Nordmeyer reviewed the pension benefits at present in force, and dealt in detail with 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 o£ a lodge benefit should not prejudice a person from receiving the national benefits 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. Mr. Nordmeyer 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 that will ultimately give superannuation to every person in the community at a certain age, whatever his income and whatever his property.”

SMALL FARM SCHEMES

Question About Security Of

Tenure

Information as to whether it was proposed to issue some form of title giving security of tenure in the case of all or tiny of the small farm schemes was sought by Mr. A. C. A. Sexton (Independent, Franklin) in a question asked the Minister of Lands, lion. F. Langstone, in the House of Representatives yesterday. “The existing legislation provides for a lease for ten years with right of purchase after four years, and the right must be exercised before the expiry of the term,” replied Mr. Langstone. “This term is considered to be too short, and the exercise of (lie right of purchase. impossible,of fulfilment within such a limited period. Nevertheless, any occupier who is qualified to receive a lease may apply for and be granted a lease under the existing legislation.”