DOCTORS STILL DECLINE

Evening Star, Issue 24006, 3 October 1941, Page 4

DOCTORS STILL DECLINE

BILL REMAINS OBNOXIOUS PRINCIPLE UNCHANGED BY AMENDMENTS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, October s. Despite the amendments in tho Social Security Bill, the Wellington division of the B.M.A. last night decided unanimously to continue its opposition to the Bill. Dr Shircr, tho president, stated today that tho amendments failed to meet the objection previously to the scheme —that tho Bill did nothing to improve the health of tho people and ever, as amended, it still amounted to socialisation of tho profession. No account bad been taken of the views of the men on active service. The Bill denied the profession the right to which each citizen was entitled—access to the courts. The division still considered that a (scheme 1 adapted to the needs of tho community should he investigated by a cnmniision independent of political control.

“ The division desires to make it quite clear to the public that the association has at no time resisted the Bill on pecuniary grounds. It has concerned itself with the above principles only. The utterance of certain members of the Government in the present debate would suggest that, were the fees high enough, the profession would gladly accept any legislation produced. That is a complete misrepresentation of the association’s attitude.”

Until a medical services scheme was introduced embodying the principles mentioned, tlio association’s stand would remain unchanged. “ We fed that the very fact that the Government found it necessary to introduce vital amendments to the Bill shows that the public made in various parts of the Dominion have been more than justified.” declared Mr W. Appleton, who headed a deputation representing tho recent citizens’ protest meeting about the Social Security Amendment Bill to the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, this morning. Mr Fraser, in Ids reply, remarked that the amendments would have been made in the Bill bad there been no meetings of protest. Mr Appleton said that while the amendments went some distance in meeting tho position, tho point was that it was not so much a matter of finance as one of principle. The doctors should be allowed to sue for a just claim. The rates of remuneration for the medical profession should be fixed by an independent tribunal, and .no provision was. made for rendering specialised service nor for extension of preventive medicine. A number of other speakers representing various local interests also presented their views to the Prime Minister. Included among them was the Mayor of Wellington, Mr T. C. A. Hislop, who, speaking as chairman of the protest meeting, said, that in fairness lie wanted to say that the meeting was not a “ packed ” one. Mr Fraser, in a brief reply, said the Government had been concerned,about tho worry people suffered in trying to pay for medical attention, and had set out to remove that worry. “We have to recognise that in a democratic State, where coercion is possible, it is inadvisable,” ho added; “ particularly in a time of war when wo have to work together and make allowances. The thing the Government aimed to do was to give the maximum benefit to the people with tho minimum friction.” Mr Fraser said it was gratifying to know that, whatever differences of opinion there might be on the details, there was no difference of opinion in regard to the fceed for a proper medical service.