TIP LEGALISED

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24085, 2 October 1941, Page 11

TIP LEGALISED

APPEASEMENT MOVE MR. GOOSMAN'S COMMENTS ACTION OF LABOUR CAUCUS (gRR.) WELLINGTON. Wednesday ''This is a measure of appeasement which has temporarily taken some of the sting out of the bill, but in view of the Government's past, record I am quite satisfied that it is its intention to get so Jar and then carry on further later," said Mr. W. S. Goosman (Opposition—Waikato) in the House today. discussing the amendment to clause H.A oi the Social Security Amendment Bill. He was referring to the deletion of the words "demand or accept" from the clause which formerly said that no doctor should "demand or accept or he entitled to recover" from any patient fees for any services for which he is entitled to payment from the Social Security Fund. "To-day the doctor is put in a position where ho is legally able to accept a tip," said Mr. Goosman. In his opinion the proposed amendments were more or less a concession to the conscience of the Prime Minister. "1 have never seen the Prime Minister with so little enthusiasm for a measure," he added, "and I can justifiably say that he is cold toward it. ' .Mr. Goosman asked how the Prime .Minister would .feel after going to Britain and talking about liberty and freedom to come back and find a measure designed to take awav the liberty and freedom of a section of the community. For the first time in the history of the country a Labour caucus in the case of the doctors had fixed the terms and conditions under which a section of the community must work. Mr. Goodman said, Because the doctors would not be dragooned, the Government, through the bill, proposed to take away their rights.

STAND BY OPPOSITION

FIGHTING FOR PRINCIPLE PLEA FOR THE LODGES 'S.R.) \V ELLINGTON. Wednesday An emphatic denial that the National Party had espoused the doctors' case because they were doctors was given in tiie House to-night by Mr. W. J. Broadt'oot (Opposition—Waitomo) in his speech on the Social Security Amendment Bill. "We have fought this question as one of principle," lie said. "We have stuck to the principle, and the Government has had to swallow it. The main objection? to the bill have, i:i my opinion, been removed." The alternatives presented by the Government had completely vindicated the Opposition's attitude. ' Mr. Broadfoot said. The main criticism now was that the bill did not tend to improve the health service. Even now it was only a partial service. Fourteen services promised by the late Prime Minister had not been given. Mr. A. G Osborne (Government — ManukaiO: Are you opposing it because it does not go far enough? Mr. Broadt'oot said the Opposition had strongly opposed the principle of coercion, and it desired a scheme where the willing co-operation of the doctors would have been forthcoming. Although consultations were promised five years ago by the present Prime Minister, the friendly societies, which dealt with one-fifth of the population, would he dealt a devastating blow if the measure were carried, he continued. Even at this late stage he would suggest an alternative subsidy scheme under which the societies would be protected. He was satisfied the arrangement could be made. The suggested alternative would be cheap and effective and would build up the societies, the individual would retain the right of selection, and the scheme would be on an entirelv voluntary basis.

WOMAN'S VIEWPOINT

SPEECH BY MRS. DRE AVER (S.R.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday "The people as a whole want what this bill is to provide and will be disappointed if it does not become law before the beginning of next month," said Mrs. M. M. Dreaver (Government—Waitemata) during the debate on the Social Security Amendment Bill in the House to-day. Various arguments that had been advanced against the bill were discussed by Mrs. Dreaver. She said it was claimed that the bill forced a revolutionary and socialistic change on the medical profession behind the hacks ol its members serving with the forces overseas. She believed that everyone in New Zealand appreciated the practical patriotism of these doctors and their efficient service, but they were serving tens of thousands of New Zealanders. The number of men overseas was sufficient to discount to a considerable extent the claim that surgeons and general practitioners in New Zealand were being acutely overworked. Many thousands of citizens were working hard and without complaint in factory and in home. Mrs. Dreaver said that one of the greatest benefits possible would be n completely free practitioner service. The wives nnr] children of men serving were entitled to such" a service.

UNORTHODOX PRACTITIONERS

inclusion in scheme sot-gut (S.R.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday The view that the fec-for-scrvice plan was not. -ito as go;, as the capitation scheme was expressed by Mr. W. Anderton (Government —Eden) during the discussion 011 the Social Senn it v Amendment. I>i 11 in the House to-night. He said millions ot working hours must be lost each year through preventable sickness, and orthodox doctors would do little in the way of prevent ivo medicine while they received a tee only when the patient was sick. Mr. Anderton said that il the fee-tor-service principle was accepted lie could not see why unorthodox practitioners such ns osteopaths and nature healers should not have the right to receive payment from the Social Security I'und if individuals wanted to consult them. Mr. W. -J. Poison (Opposition—Stratford): Would you include chiroprne tors ? Mr. Anderton: Certaiyly, if they are capable of doing the work. The community was paying the bill, he added, and people were entitled to choose their own form of treatment. Provided the treatment was accepted in a world-wide sense, practitioners should lie entitled to fee-for-scrvioe. Christian scientists and others never visited an orthodox doctor. In', they had their own practitioners.

COMMENT WITHHELD

DETAILS <>K CHANGES AWAITED Officers of the Auckland branch of the British Medical Association were unwilling to comment, on the amendments to the bill yesterday. It was stated that a telegram had been sent io Wellington for copies of the amendments as soon as they become available as it was desired to study them fully before stating the branch's attitude. It was important to know whether there were any qualifications to the newly-announced terms.