PAY NOT ISSUE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24084, 1 October 1941, Page 9

PAY NOT ISSUE

COERCIVE MEASURE MR. DOIDGE'S ATTACK RIGHT OF FREEDOM WANTED (S.R.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday "This is a quack bill, providing quack remedies and inspired by quack doctors," said Mr. F. W. Doidge (Opposition—Tauranga) during the debate on the Social Security Amendment Bill in the House to-night. Mr. Doidge spoke at length, being granted an extension of time. A clarion call for freedom had been sounded bv the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. S. G. Holland, when the debate began. and the repercussion had been meetings of protest against the bill throughout the country, Mr. Doidne said. The Opposition did not care one iota whether the doctors got os a case or 7s 6d —that was not the issue. Principle of Forced Labour But the bill proposed to put into operation the principle of forced labour, he continued. It was a coercive measure and the Opposition fought it for that reason, and also because of the belief, shared with the doctors, that the bill would mean the deterioration of medical services throughout the Dominion Mr. Doidge said that the Minister of 1-inauce, the Hon. W. Nasli had referred to a sermon given by \roh deacon Bullock. He wondered why the Minister had not mentioned other clerics, for all denominations were aroused. He wondered, for example, it' the Minister had ever heard of the Catholic paper Zealandia and read a brilliantly written article on the subject.. _Mr Doidge quoted from a book bv Sir Henry Brackenbury entitled Patient and Doctor." He read a passage m which the author stated that the two essentials that the relationship between doctor and patient should be the predominant relationship alwavs and that it should be a completely free relationship could not be guaranteed or .secured by any system which placed the Jain 11 v practitioner in the position ot a whole-time salaried State servant. Haste and the Election Everyone was united in the desire and pledge to help the needv, ease the suf fermg and provide medical service for t. o people who needed it. These objectives would not be achieved by the 'bill before the House. People who required attention were the very ones who would suffer under the conditions set out in the bill. i hy J S % Covernnu:.t rushing this bill.-" Mr. Doidge asked. "Is it not because we are on the eve of a general election,, and because the Government in the last three years has mulcted the people ot .million.; on the strength of promises given and never redeemed?" The present was not the time to bring down -such a measure, he continued. I here were about 1000 doctors in New Zealand, and of these perhaps 100 were no longer physically lit to continue full practice. That left some 900, of whom there would be 300 either overseas or on army work by the end of the rear. 1 here were thus 600 doctors to attend to 1.<00.000 people. In Auckland 59 doctors were available to look after hO.OOO people, and in Wellington ,3.5 doctors for 140.000 persons. It must be cleai that the time was not opportune tor the measure. "A Stab in the Back" Mr. Doidge also raised the question or the loss of incentive under the scheme for young doctors to travel abroad and take higher degrees. lie | also said that the State had evidently anticipated a decline in the quality of service under the bill, as doctors "had recently been circularised by the State Accident Insurance Office with offers of insurance cover against actions for damages. Government Members: That is the usual thing, Mr. Doidge asked if the Prime Minister would tell the House what he really thought when he returned from abroad and found the bill rushed into the House and already half-way to the Statute Book. Could he also say with a clear conscience that lie was satisfied with the bill after what he had been saying about a war for freedom during his stay in Britain? The bill provided that, on their return from active service, the 300 doctors would come back to forced labour. The bill stabbed them in the back. The debate was adjourned. AUCKLAND BANKRUPTCIES Two bankruptcies were registered with the official assignee in Auckland during September against none in August. During the corresponding month in 1940 the total registered was six. Last month's bankruptcies were those of a company proprietor and a hairdresser.