TO STRONGLY OPPOSE BILL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 10 September 1941, Page 4

TO STRONGLY OPPOSE BILL

DECISION OF IIAWKES BAY DOCTORS GROUNDS FOR OBJECTION Hastings, This Day. The decision strongly to oppose the bill amending the Social Security Act was reached at a meeting of the executive of the Hawkes Bay division of the B.M.A. last night. In a statement issued following the meeting, the grounds on which opposition to the legislation was based were set out as follows: j (1) The bill is coercive. ! (2) Since the days of Magna Carta it has been the inalienable privilege of e er-v loyal subject to earn his living ;as he pleases within the law. This bill ; takes away that right from the medical ! profession. This bill does nothing to improve the health of the community. ; rather with an enormous increase in j the unnecessary work consequent on its j passing, genuinely sick must inevitably ! suffer. (3) The bill is designed to make j revolutionary changes in the life and | practice of the profession. Thirty per ! coi x of the doctors of this land overseas as volunteers are by their ; natriotism prevented from expressing ] their opinion. Is this the wish of the people of New Zealand? ' <4) Since the conception of the Social ; Security Act there has never been any ! consultation in the ordinary sense of ! the word with the medical profession. I (5) Tiie fina) Court of Appeal is the Minister of Health. When a man’s (whole future might have to be decided we consider that a trained jurist Judge |to the Supreme Court would be the or.ly suitable person tc adjudicate. (6) The bill in principle interferes ' unjustly with the liberty of the subject patient as well as the doctor. In detail | it. is unworkable and it must be opposed iby every right thinking and liberty