MEDICAL MOBILISATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16570, 20 June 1917, Page 8

MEDICAL MOBILISATION.

MINISTERS' OPINIONS.

QBT TEIiIGEAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Tuesday. ! The suggestions made by the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association in connection with the mobilisation of the medical profession to meet military and civil needs, are the subject of a reply by the Minister for Public Health, the Hon. G. W. Russell. He approves of the proposal that an advisory board should be set up to which military and civil authorities could apply for advice and assistance. He also approved of a proposal that the services of any i applicant for registration under the Medical Practitioners Act should be placed first at the disposal of the Minister for Defence, and, secondly, of the Minister for Public Health, and if it is approved by .the Minister for Defence he is prepared to bring down legislation to give effect to it. He agrees also with the suggestion that the matters of use and distribution of newly-qualified practitioners should be referred to the Advisory Board, but he stipulates that hospital and mental hospital services should nave first claim on recently-qualified New Zealand medical graduates. The association recommended that to obtain medical men for districts which are without ' a sufficient service, the Government should advertise for doctors for these districts offering in addition to the emoluments to be derived from the practice, an honorarium of, say, £560 per annum (captain's pay), with travelling allowance. To this the Minister replied that he could not agree to the proposal. A clear income of £600 a year was all he felt justified in committing the Government toIn conclusion the Minister states that while agreeing m general with the proposals of the association he is not prepared to bring down legislation of a compulsory character enabling the Government, ft necessary, to locate doctors in districts which have been depleted for military purposes. The Advisory Board's scheme should first receive a trial and even if compulsory legislation should be brought down it should be only of a tentative, nature to be brought in by Order-in-Coun-cil.