MEDICAL BILL

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 77, 27 September 1941, Page 10

MEDICAL BILL

PROTEST MEETINGS

WELLINGTON AND AUCKLAND

MR. FRASER'S REPLIES

The Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser) has received communications regarding both the Wellington and Auckland protest meetings against the Hac-al Security Amendment Bill. On behalf of the Wellington Citizens' Protest Committee, Mr. Will Appleton, wrote to Mr. Fraser asking that he receive a deputation, and Mr. Fraser has replied that he will endeavour to arrange to do this in the coming week. Since then Mr. Fraser has received a telegram from the Mayor . of Auckland (Mr. J. A. C. Allum). In his reply to Mr. Allum, Mr. Fraser said that nothing published about the Auckland meeting appeared to indicate that any supporters of 'the Government participated prominently in the . proceedings, and this was a fact which in itself would seem to indicate that a large section of' the community whose opinions naturally weighed somewhat with the Government was not represented. Mr. Allum forwarded the text of the resolution passed at the Auckland meeting of citizens, condemning the Social Security Amendment Bill on certain grounds and asking that the Prime Minister grant to the doctors an opportunity to present their case to the public through the broadcasting services. NO BROADCASTING. The text of the Prime Minister's reply to Mr. Allum is as follows:— Please accept my thanks, for your courtesy in forwarding me a copy of the resolution passed at the large meeting held in the Town Hall, Auckland, on Wednesday evening for the purpose oi attacking the Social Security Amendment Bill and the medical benefits for the mass of the people of the Dominion provided therein. I can assure you that the representations contained in the resolution will receive full and careful consideration in spite of the fact that I cannot accept as accurate its descriptive .terms and conclusions. Unfortunately,, nothing published concerning the meeting, and certainly not the interesting list of speakers you furnished me with, appears to indicate that any supporters of the Government participated prominently in the proceedings, and that fact in itself.would seem to indicate that a large section of the community whose opinions naturally weigh somewhat with, the Government was not represented. It is not proposed at present to utilise the National Broadcasting Service for public meetings, either in support of or in opposition to the Bill.

Replying to Mr. Appleton, Mr. Fraser stated:

I am in receipt of your letter of September 19 advising me of resolutions passed at a recent meeting in the Town Hall arranged by a Citizens' Committee and asking that I should receive a deputation from the meeting in connection with the Social Security Amendment Bill. I shall be very pleased to receive the deputation at the first opportunity. I regret that' owing to the pressure of geniral Government business and War Cabinet work it will not be possible to make the appointment for this week, but I will certainly endeavour to arrange to meet the deputation as early as possible

during the course of next week

On behalf of the committee, Mr. Appleton asked that the deputation should be received as a public one and that the Press should be present.'

It is thought possible that Mr. Fraser will receive the deputation on either Wednesday or Thursday.