QUESTIONS IN PARLIAMENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 July 1942, Page 2

QUESTIONS IN PARLIAMENT

SOLDIERS’ PAY

WELLINGTON, July 1. The House met at 2.30 p.m. Mr J. A. Roy (Nat., Clutha) in his. notice of a question to th£ Prime Minister, asked if, under the new War Administration he would take steps to have a complete review made of the pay of the men in the Armed Forces. It was felt by many, he said, that the pay given the men who were asked to risk their lives, as well as to make many other sacrifices did not compare favourably with that of many in civil occupations. . x , Mr Fraser interjected that ne hoped that Members would have a fitting sense of their responsibility in regard to these matters, and that they would study the rates of pay. These matters would be taken up by the New Administration, but Members must realise that there was a danger in starting, once more, the spiral of rising prices, wages, and payments. The payment of the New Zealand soldiers, he added, was higher than the pay of any other soldiers on earth. Therefore, it did compare with the wages paid outside, in many instances. The thing was all Members must be aware of .was to avoid the arousing of an agitation which was unecessary and unwarranted among our men. Mr Roy: There are quite a number of people who are not satisfied about it all thb same. . 1 The House then went into committee to deal with the Estimates, and continued discussion on the Health Department vote of - £1,873,884 The Minister of Health, Mr Nordmeyer, replying to Opposition suggestions that the upkeep of hospitals should be a national obligation, said that, as far as the general principle of hospital finance was concerned, there was a case for reform. However, if anv drastic change were made, it probably would be one of the most controversial issues in the history of the Dominion, and such an issue should not be raised at the present time. / MEDICAL BENEFITS

The charge by the maternity homes were criticised when the Socia. Security Benefits Estimate ol £3,504,600 was under consideration Mr W. Anderton (Govt., Eden) instanced cases where patients m these homes were required to pay irom five to eight pounds above the sum granted under the Act. He also stated that in some maternity hospitals patients were required to take with them an amount of equipment over and above that actually needed. This extra’ equipment was never returned. Some of these homes were owned by medical men themselves. Government Members: It is a packet! ■« Mr Anderton said it was time

Act was administered in die spirit as .well as in the letter,, and he hoped, there would be an investigation into | the position. . . 1 ~ Mr Nordmeyer, in reply, said the question was one which came up from time to time during last year. No increase was permitted m the scale of fees to be charged legitimately by the licensees of private maternity homes under contract to the Government. Any fees charged ovei and above the Social Security rate were permitted some years ago in consideration of the fact that the licensees could not carry on otherwise. A suggestion that compulsion should be used to require the medi-

cal men to charge a fee of only 7/6 as provided under the Social Security Scheme, was made by Rev. F. Frost (Govt., New Plymouth). He said many doctors to-day were insisting on a fee of 10/6. They would not submit to a patient the ordinary Social Security form, but send them a lull account, and the bill had to be paict before the form was signed by tne medical practitioner.. Mr Nordmeyer said he knew tne matter was causing a great deal pl heartburning in some areas, but it was only fair to the doctors to say that some were not only accepting the 7/6 in full settlement, but were also claiming direct on the Social Security Fund for it. Almost half the amount paid out was in respect oi direct claims, and he hoped the number would show a considerable increase. The vote was passed, as were tne

following estimates:—Customs department £153,362; National Provident Fund £ 105,492, Lands and Survey £370,000. On resumption at 7.30 p.m., discussion continued in the House on Lands for Settlement Account vote ol £lBO,OOO which was eventually passed. The small farms development account estimate of £llO,OOO was also put through. The following votes were also passed during the evening: State Forests Account, £475,000; Department of Agriculture, £936,000, Dairy Industry Account, £40,100; Sundry Product Account, £21,280. During the day a total ol 12 classes of estimates were passed, the amount involved being £7,858.866. The House rose at 10.30 p.m. until 2.30 D.m. to-morrow.