MEDICAL BENEFITS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23320, 13 April 1939, Page 15

MEDICAL BENEFITS

Sir, Unlike your correspondent, Mr. B. Blundell Price, I extend to the doctors of New Zealand, and especially members of the 8.M.A., congratulations rather than censure on the stand they have taken in respect to the Social Security legislation. Medical men were prepared to cooperate with the Government in formulating a health insurance scheme designed to keep people healthy and to provide for those unable to pay for an efficient medical service. Such a scheme would be less costly than the Government's scheme and would leave both doctor and patient free to make their own choice. The doctors find many faults with the Government scheme and rightly refuse to co-operate, and in the attitude they have adopted I think they are conferring a real benefit on the people of New Zealand. Mr. Blundell Price suggests that the Government did not foifct the Social Security legislation on the people of New Zealand against the country's wishes, but can lie tell ns who wanted this extravagant and costly legislation? The medical men did not. hospital boards did not welcome it! Did the many thousands of careful workers —members of friendly societies —want it? Did the many thousands of public servants or company staffs, having their own superannuation schemes, want it? Did the primary producers or manufacturers want it? They did not! Those who want it most are the people who steadfastly refuse to make provision for themselves or their dependents, relying always on the "something for nothing" idea. Certainly there are many who through no fault of their own are unable to pay for medical services, but the doctors' scheme should meet their needs. Little was known of the Social Security legislation prior to the election last October. Members of the Lab.our Party had made much of the benefits, but carefully refrained f*om mentioning the liabilities, but, since the people of New Zealand are now beginning to see through the scheme, I feel confident that, were a vote taken today on Social Security as we know it, it would not have the. support of 25 per cent of those affected. It has been spoken of as "humanitarian legislation," but there is nothing humanitarian in asking boys and girls to accept responsibilities they should not normally carry until the short years of youth had passed, nor is it humanitarian to tax aged people who, by their energy and thrift, have saved enough to provide a small but independent income during old age. In the latter case it could better be described as refined cruelty.., Mr. Savage says it is the realisation of his dream and I have no doubt it will eventually go the way of all dreams. Arthttb White.