MINISTER'S COMMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 111, 13 May 1939, Page 10

MINISTER'S COMMENT

B.M.A. ATTITUDE

WARNING AGAINST BOYCOTT

"The public will see from the long list of those willing to assist in extending the maternity benefit of the social security scheme to as many mothers as possible, that the maternity benefits have been successfully arranged," said the Minister of Health (the Hon. P. Fraser) in a statement issued last night when commenting on the list of signa- j tories that is published in the advertisement columns today. Mr. Fraser said that the response! from the obstetric nurses had been, in most districts, highly satisfactory. "If there are any nurses who have not completed their contracts they would be well advised to do so without delay so tha,t they will be in time for the first supplementary list. All public hospital maternity wards come into the maternity benefits scheme automatically. "The large number of private maternity hospitals, which have contracted to provide- hospital treatment in relation to maternity benefits, ensure that beds will be available in most ties"As was anticipated in view of the official attitude of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association the response from the medical profession has not been satisfactory, though those agreeing to participate and generally co-operate in the operation of the maternity benefits, together with the doctors on the staffs of public maternity hospitals and maternity wards of public hospitals, are sufficient to enable medical services in relation to maternity benefits to be established in many districts, CONDITIONAL CONTRACTS. "A number of doctors have signed the contracts conditionally, and though it has not been possible to complete their contracts in time for the first list, every effort will be made to meet all reasonable wishes as quickly as possible so that their names can appear on the supplementary list. "It has been represented to me that a considerable number of doctors, though they approve of the terms of the contract, feel bound by the pledge to their association which they were induced to sign last year in entirely different circumstances. Conditions have altered considerably since the pledge was signed, but these doctors feel bound by the pledge at least up to a point in spite of their approval of the contract. It is to be sincerely hoped that this difficulty will be overcome by a reasonable attitude on the part of all concerned. THE BOYCOTT WEAPON. "I have further been informed that xsome practitioners fear that if they sign the contract in accordance with their own wishes, opinions, and consciences they would run the risk of professional injury through deliberate non-co-operation on the part of their fellow-practitioners. From my knowledge of the medical profession, I have no hestitation in stating my belief that neither the official organisation nor any responsible section of the profession would stoop to such methods. "If, as is most unlikely, any irresonsible section or individual would be so misguided as to attempt any such retaliatory methods, then as soon as the, attention of the Government was drawn to the fact steps would immediately be taken to combat such reprehensible action, and the full protection of the State would be extended to the practitioner against whom such methods were used. The boycott weapon, dangerous at all times and in all circumstances, would earn the reprobation of all decent people if applied in any form or under any pretext where the lives of mothers and babies were involved and possibly in danger."