LODGES AND MEDICAL BENEFITS.

Evening Star, Issue 23834, 14 March 1941, Page 2

LODGES AND MEDICAL BENEFITS.

TO TUB EDITOR. Sir, —In most circumstances X would treat anonymous letters with the contempt which thev" deserve, but when correspondents indulge in gross mis-statements and sink to accusations against prominent and faithful workers for the friendly society movement, I feel it incumbent on me to reply. Lot me therefore point out that the friendly society movement in Dunedin has the services of at least 23 of our local medical practitioners, including those at present absent on active service. How the thousands of members of friendly societies, let alone memoers of the general public, could be catered for by the two or three local doctors who have undertaken service under the medical benefits scheme 1 fail to see. Hence the advice to our members that, at least in tho meantime, they should not allow their names to be taken off their lodge medical lists, thereby losing the services of those proven doctors who have rendered faithful service to lodge members for many years. Some such advice was definitely necessary, as the advertisements, also anonymous, which appeared in your paper last Saturday were so misleading that they appear to have been inserted by some person antagonistic to the great friendly society movement, or by someone personally interested in encouraging lodge members to dispense with their existing medical practitioner services. In reply to “ Lodge Member for 34 Years ” let mo advise him that the various friendly societies and the Dominion Council of Friendly Societies have at various times offered to the Government their .wholehearted co-operation, and have also' made representations that tho medical contributions of lodge members should be refunded from the Social Security Fund. In effect, members of societies have from tho commencement of the working of the social security scheme, been paying twice for medical service—once by compulsory taxation from which medical benefits were not available, and voluntarily through their lodges. Despite numerous promises of co-operation with friendly societies,, the Government has so far offered societies only a small part in connection with the payment of tho social security sickness benefit to their members i—a service in which the lodges could be of no assistance either to the Government, their members, or themselves. ‘The Government has declined throughout to pay the medical dues of friendly society members, though by doing so it would be providing tho benefit at a, rate considerably less than Kvbat it now proposes to pay. “ Saw-bones ” makes some unkind remarks anent paid secretaries, etc. In reply, let me advise him that, in so far as the largest society in Dunedin, tho M.U.1.0.0.F., is concerned, the letter signed by our esteemed secretary amongst others was fully approved by the executive of the society. I doubt not that the other secretaries had similar support. If either of your correspondents care to call upon me I shall be pleased to point out to them exactly where they are misinformed, but I do not propose to enter into lengthy newspaper correspondence on the subject.—l am, etc., W. H. Masters, Grand Master, M.U.1.0.0.F, Otago , District. March 14. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Your correspondents “ Wood-Pride,” “ Lodge Member for 34 Years,” and “Sawbones ” are all followers of “ His Master’s Vice ” and record and advertise anonymously. The advertisement and letter which appeared over tho names of the four secretaries of the large friendly society orders simply advised members of an unworthy attempt to mislead, and suggested that care be taken not to throw away substance for shadow. There is disclosed in the letters of your correspondents lamentable ignorance, gross mis-statements, and evidence of the same type of deceit which shone from the work in the anonymous advertisements. If they are ashamed of their names and their opinions they must not expect folk to waste time in making reply to their correspondence.—Wt are, etc., R. E. Sligo (1.0.0. F.), W. B. Steel (U.A.O.D), J. K. Macfie (A.0.F.), Alex. Sligo (M.U.1.0.0.F.) March 14.