UNIVERSAL BENEFITS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23115, 13 August 1938, Page 18

UNIVERSAL BENEFITS

PROFESSION'S OPPOSITION dr. McMillan corrected DIFFERENCE ON PRINCIPLE [by telegraph—muss association] WELLINGTON, Friday The member for Dunedin West, Dr. D. G. McMillan, is reported to have stated in the House of Representatives last night, when speaking on the social security report, that the Government's proposals had been placed before representatives of the medical profession and that the doctors were in entire agreement with the Government, excepting on the question whether tho scheme should be partial or universal. This statement was referred to-day to Dr. Jamieson, president of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association. "The fact is," said Dr. Jamieson, "that the Government's proposals have not yet been placed before us. All that was shown representatives of the profession was an adaptation of tho outline of administration, which we ourselves suggested in the plan we formulated over a year ago. As to 'entire agreement,' we plainly stated that we were so completely convinced that a universal scheme was contrary to the interests ot the country as a whole, that we were compelled to oppose it to the utmost of our power. "With such divergence between us and the Government on the broad matter of general principle, we said that consideration of secondary questions of administration and remuneration were equivalent to choosing by a condemned man between a hempen rope and a silken cord. It is strange that Dr. McMillan, who was present, could construe this unequivocal statement to mean entire agreement."