AUSTRALIA

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 April 1943, Page 6

AUSTRALIA

HUMAN OSTRICH.

(Recd. 9.10 a.m.) SYDNEY, April 6

When doctors operated on a 42 years-old man at Sydney Hospital, they found in his stomach six two shilling pieces, ten pennies, four keys, two suitcase latches, two cuphooks, piece of glass, and a doorknob. A padlock, the key of which has been recovered, has still to be removed. The man was a voluntary patient at a private mental hospital. It is believed the articles were swallowed over a period of weeks. The amazing find was made when the doctors became suspicious, after the man had passed the remark “You can’t hurt me. I’m rich inside.” Medical men say they had not known of such a collection in a human stomach. Although the patient’s condition is serious, he is expected to live. SOCIAL SECURITY PLAN (Recd. 12.15) April 6. Bills providing for joint unemploy-ment-sickness relief on the New Zealand model are expected to be introduced into the Federal Parliament ■during the June sittings. The full Cabinet has instructed the Treasurer (Mr. Chifley) to complete the draft legislation for such a scheme, which would be a charge on the National Welfare Fund created by Parliament during its recent sittings, and would not Involve additional contributory payments. Political observers believe the Australian scheme will exactly duplicate that in force in New Zealand, so that it may be introduced beforr July, in which month the elections are likely to be held. Later a comprehensive medical and hospital benefits scheme will be introduced. This, however, will take many months to prepare, and unless Parliament runs its full course it will not be introduced before the dissolution. It is, however, likely to be a prominent Labour election plank. The Government is reported to be determined to keep on with its plans to extend the social services, which, in its view, are not a hindrance to the war effort but a bolster to wartime morale. Rejection of these suggested Bills by the Opposition majority in the Senate would probably be regarded by the Government as an adequate election issue.