HEALTH SCHEME

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23067, 18 June 1938, Page 17

HEALTH SCHEME

POSITION OF DOCTORS ATTITUDE NOT DECIDED REPLY TO LABOUR MEMBER "Dr. D. G. McMillan, M.P., is saying something he has no right at all to say when he states that the doctors in New Zealand have definitely stated they wolild not go on strike if the health insurance scheme was introduced," said Dr. Frank Macky, president of the Auckland division of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association, last night, in answer to a reported statement by Dr. McMillan when giving an address at Taupo on Wednesday night.

When giving evidence on the Government's scheme on behalf of New Zealand doctors, stated Dr. Macky, l)r. J. P. S. Jamieson, president of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association, stated, in answer to a question by one of the Government officers present, whether the doctors would go on strike, that tho doctors considered the scheme so unsatisfactory and so unlikely to be proceeded with that the question of going on strike had never been considered. Dr. Macky thought the question had been put by one of tho Cabinet Ministers.

"New Zealand doctors," said Dr. Macky, "have not committed themselves one way or the other. Therefore, it is quite wrong for Dr. McMillan to state that we have agreed not to go on strike. We have never agreed to work with the Government on the scheme, because we have not considered that aspect of the matter." REFERENDUM WANTED WESTLAND FARMERS' VIEWS [BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION] GREYMOUTH, Friday A referendum at the next general election on the proposed national health and superannuation scheme was suggested in a remit adopted by tho Westland Provincial Farmers' Union. A further remit adopted was that in tho distribution of the surplus in the Dairy Industry Account the butter sold on the local market should participate equally with export butter.