POWERS OF THE B.M.A.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 3 October 1924, Page 4

POWERS OF THE B.M.A.

AMENDING LEGISLATION. (BY TELEGRAPB -CRESS A9SOCI *.TION 1 WELLINGTON, Oct. 2. _ In the Legislative Council to-day the Leader of the Council (Sir Francis‘Bell) explained the amendments- made in committee to the Medical Practitioners Bill. There were eases of minor offences!, said Sir Francis Bell, which would not be seriously viewed by the Supreme ipurt, but could be dealt with by the Medical Council. It was now provided in the Bill that there should be no suspension except with the consent of the Attorney-General. It was further provided that no suspension should take place for 21 days, and that if a practitioner gave notice of his intention to appeal to the Supreme Court suspension should not take effect until the court had dealt with the application. The Hon O. Samuel said the Bill had been promoted by the British Medical Association and fathered by the Government. Before the committee he had moved for the inclusion of a provision that the Court should have power to suspend practitioners for six months or impose a fine of £SO, but the Attorney-General had not seen fit to support that amendment. The Medical Council was to. have conferred on it exceptional powers, practically the same as the Court, and this would place medical men at the merev of the Medical Council. He also advocated that laymen should he included in the Medical Council. He would be sorry to see the Bill placed on the statutesAfter several clauses had been passed in committee, further consideration of the Bill was postponed until Tuesday.