STATE MEDICAL SERVICE

Evening Star, Issue 24002, 29 September 1941, Page 6

STATE MEDICAL SERVICE

CATHOLIC NEWSPAPER CONDEMNS BILL COMMENT OH POLITICAL POLICY “ New Zealand is at tho moment keenly watching a most flagrant governmental attempt to transgress the principles of liberty and justice, in the proposed laws affecting the medical profession,” says an editorial article in tho latest issue of ‘ Zealandia,’ the Roman Catholic weekly newspaper. “It is, of course, a duty of the State to see that there exists proper provision tor promoting and safeguarding tho health of the community. But that can bo done without violating the natural rights of the individual or the principles of that ideal of democratic freedom for which Britain is now fighting. And it is one of the fundamentals of democracy that government shall bo with the consent of the governed. “ Absolutist tyranny remains what it is no matter whether it he exercised by an individual despot or by a parliamentary majority vote. _ Human rights and liberties have an inherent, irrefragable sanction. They are not something to be observed or contomned at the whim of a group or party politicians who happen to hold tho reins of legislative power. “Wo need not detail herein the actual terms of the new conditions which tho Government seeks to establish, beyond pointing out that some ot them are not ’ only unjust but crudely unintelligent, as, for example, in their utter failure to recognise the psychological factor in tho healing of tho sick.

“PROVOCATIVE LEGISLATION.” “ At this time of Empire crisis we are entitled to expect from the Government a special restraint with regard to provocative legislation. Tho need of tho hour is for unity and cooperation, yet this is the very time that tho Government chooses to introduce legislation that has already created a most serious feeling of resentment throughout tho country. “Do our legislators really believe that under tho proposed conditions tho medical profession can possibly maintain its present high standard of efficiency? Have they reflected that the matter has an added importance in view of the extraordinary demands that the war is increasingly making upon the medical services? The Government itself should bo the first to guard against and deal promptly with anything that might prejudice the work of the profession. “ The majority parliamentary party is, however, plainly _ becoming more and more obsessed with that Socialist idea of absolutist regimentation which has always been so utterly repugnant to the British mind and opposed by British .constitutional practice. _ It would bo just as well for our legislators to relax their ideological zeal a little, for they are making a very serious mistake if they imagine that New Zealand citizens like tho rule of tho bludgeon. “ tinder the stress and exigencies of war the Dominion’s people have shown an admirable readiness to make necessary sacrifices But it is one thing to co-operate in the honest effort to win the war. It is quite another matter to see Parliament taking advantage of the war situation in order to establish a Socialist regime in the Dominion. DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLE. “As we have already recalled herein, a majority vote does not and, from tho ver'y nature of true democracy, cannot confer absolutist power upon a governing political party. We rightly repudiate the political despotism of Hitler and Stalin. We should make it equally our concern to oppose the pernicious paradox of a Labour Government sheltering itself behind democratic authority in order to impose legislative measures that are an actual violation of the democratic principle. “ The proposed dispositions regarding tho medical profession call for the urgent consideration of the whole community. To the patriotic citizen the war is a vital menace, not a heavensent opportunity for the establishment of Socialism in the Dominion. Yet our legislation is progressing steadily in that direction. The Medical Services Bill is a crucial test case. “If tho Government is allowed to get away with this, who shall _ put bounds to Parliamentary despotism? It becomes simply a question of whose turn is next. The public would do well to ponder tho implications of this Bill, and thereby realise how drastic and significant a it is in the advance toward State Socialism.” The article appears under the heading, ‘The Rule of the Bludgeon.’