SOCIAL SECURITY BILL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 232, 30 August 1938, Page 9

SOCIAL SECURITY BILL

WRONG BASIS OF FINANCE. VIEWS OF FARMERS’ SECRETARY Criticism of the Government’s health security scheme was voiced yesterday by Mr A. P, O’Shea, Dominion secretary of the Farmers’ Union, in an address to the meeting of the Manawatn provincial executive of the union. He said that the scheme was based on the national income of the country, which was an insecure foundation, the only true basis being the national production. Mr O’Shea spoke as he had to the Rotary Club earlier in the day on the basic industries, and quoted extracts of evidence given on behalf of the Farmers’ Union before the special Parliamentary committee on the Social Security Bill. “There can be only one outcome; the taxation must fall back on the farmer—the real producer; he will have to carry the burden,” the speaker said. Mr G. J. Wilde: We always have. Mr J. T. Kent: The sky’s the limit. “This is a serious business,” Mr O’Shea continued, “and we will have to get the thing modified. The foundation is unsound and accordingly the structure must fall.” In the course of his address Mr O’Shea dealt with many matters which the Dominion executive had in hand for the benefit of the primary producer. Speaking of the problem of farm labour, he admitted that there were weaknesses in the scheme of things, but he could say definitely that the Minister of Labour (Hon. H. T. Armstrong) had been very fair in regard to the farm labour question. No Minister could have been more considerate to recommendations. Mr O’Shea was accorded a vote of thanks for attending the meeting and on the motion of Mr N. Campbell, >vlio referred in complimentary terms to Mr O’Shea’s address to the Rotary Club, it was decided to, recommend to the Dominion executive that Mr O’Shea be permitted to address as many such gatherings as possible “Too often city people have a wrong conception of the farmers’ problems,” Mr Campbell said, “and Mr O’Shea could do a greht deal in breaking down the barriers between town and country.”

HOSPITAL BOARDS’ POSITION

LARGER GRANT SOUGHT. ' Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Aug. 29. Fears that there Would be little or no alleviation of the present burden of hospital taxation, and the opinion that the proposed grant of 6s per patient from the special State fund would be inadequate to meet the costs of treatment, were expressed at a special meeting of the Auckland Hospital Board to-night, when the effects of the Social Security ill were considered. Although unanimous in advocating tho necessity for an increased per capita allowance, members differed in their view as to the measure of hospital treatment that would be required following the introduction of the scheme. The chairman (Mr, J. Moody) said the scheme was now in the hands of the Minister and his departmental officers, and it would perhaps be unwise to hamper their task at this particular stage. There was no doubt, however, that the Bill would require careful consideration by the Legislature. Tho measure possessed a very wide aspect so far as hospital boards were concerned, in view of the many benefits which they would be required to perform. Advice from the Hospital Boards Association was that its executive would keep in close touch with the position and a conference of boards would be called at a later stage, when the Government’s proposals were advanced. A motion was carried unanimously stating that the allowance of 6s was per patient, and requesting the Minister favourably to consider a sub considered inadequate to meet the cost stantial increase in the amount.