TRIBUTE TO DOCTORS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23126, 26 August 1938, Page 12

TRIBUTE TO DOCTORS

SERVICES TO THE POOR

SOCIAL SECURITY BILL LARGE BORROWING PROPOSALS A tribute to the doctors of New Zealand for their gratuitous services to people who could not afford to pay and a warning that the Labour Party policy had contained a plank calling for the nationalisation of the medical profession were contained in an address by the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. A. Hamilton, at Takapuna yesterday. "The medical profession is now giving almost a free service to those who cannot afford to pay," Mr. Hamilton said. "Specialists give their services free in the public hospitals. The doctors would join with us in a suitable health proposal for that class." Mr Hamilton discussed the provisions of the Social Security Bill in detail. He said it was the masterproduct of the Labour Party. They were not too happy about it, however, and had been hatching it for three years. The bill embodied more subjects than almost any other measure. "It would appear that in the future unemployment will be carried out of borrowed money," Mr. Hamilton continued. " They propose to • borrow £14,000,000." A Voice: Where from? Mr. Hamilton: They have not told us, except that it will be borrowed internally. "The superannuation scheme proposed in tins bill is a bit of a farce," he said. "It comes in on April 1, 1940." Another Voice: April Fools' Day. Mr. Hamilton added that under the bill any medical man who signed a contract would be a State servant. This was another way of getting authority into the hands of the State.