AMENDMENT MOVED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24710, 12 September 1941, Page 6

AMENDMENT MOVED

OPPOSITION’S REQUEST POSTPONEMENT OF BILL AN ALTERNATIVE MEASURE (0.C.) WELLINGTON. Sept. 11. An amendment to the Social Security Amendment Bill was moved by the Leader of the 'Opposition. Mr S. G. Holland, during the second reading debate in the House of Representatives to-night. It read; That in appreciation of the conspicuous services which are being rendered by members of the medical profession on active service overseas, and in view of the present serious shortage of doctors, which will become increasingly acute as the war proceeds, consideration of the Bill should be deferred till the return of our fighting services, and that in the meantime consideration should be given to the feasibility of relieving the public from the taxation levied to provide a State medical service. Mr Holland also suggested ' in his speech that a complete scheme, including specialist services, should be provided at once for those who needed it and could not afford it. The amendment was not voted on to-night. Increased Pressure of Work What incentive was there for a patient to go to the doctor’s surgery when he could say the case was urgent and get the doctor to come to his home? asked Mr Holland. A doctor could not be expected to determine the urgency of a case over the telephone, and much valuable time would be wasted unnecessarily in travelling. The increased pressure of work would result in younger doctors taking up practice without the advantage of hospital experience. under the supervision of eminent medical men. The special committee, of which the Minister had been chairman, had recommended that grants for postgraduate courses should be made. Mr Holland said, but there was no provision for such grants in the Bill. There would be no encouragement for doctors to go overseas for post-gradu-ate work, because on their return they would be unable as formerly to charge a slightly higher fee unles they had the permission of the Minister. There would be no encouragement for them to install modern equipment. The quality of service must deteriorate. The future of medicine in New Zealand was at the crossroads. Young doctors were not going to take root in this country. Between 150 and 200 medical graduates were overseas, and they would not come back because they would not tolerate interference with their rights. Breach of Faith Suggested “ The doctors have given, and will continue to give, magnificent service in the war effort,” Mr Holland said, “ and yet when their backs are turned we do this to them. We rob them of their. liberty. They go away as free men and come back as servants of the State. We said that every worker who went away would be entitled to his job when he came back, but do wc apply that rule to doctors? This scheme was promised three years ago, but we wait til) 30 per cent, of the medical profession is away before we put it into operation." WORKING THE SCHEME ' ATTITUDE. OF PROFESSION CO-OPERATION EXPECTED MR NASH’S BELIEF (0.C.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 11. A belief that the doctors would cooperate in putting the Social Security Amendment Bill into effect was expressed by the Acting Prime Minister, Mr Nash.' during the debate on the Bill in the House of Representatives to-night. The Minister was applauded by Government members at the conclusion of bis speech. Mr Nash said he thought that cooperation would be forthcoming when the doctors saw the principles of the Bill and realised that the mind of the people was made up. Mr W. J. Poison (Opposition, Stratford): Do you really think you will secure the doctors’ co-operation? „ Mr Nash; They will co-operate earlier if they do not feel that they heve the backing of the Opposition.

Mr I’. W. Doidge (Opposition. Tauranga): Do you think they can do it in their reduced numbers? Mr Nash: Yes. I think they will do their service to the community better under this Bill than to-day. because they are competing with one another, even though to a limited extent to-day. Doctors Serving Overseas

Discussing the doctors overseas. Mr Nash said he knew many of them personally. When war broke out they were determined to do their duty and serve overseas. They were now abroad, and some were prisoners, probably in foreign lands, and one or two had _ lost their lives in giving their services as other members of the community had done.

These doctors, he said, had accepted a salary for the work they were doing. They were attending to the soldiers; but would anyone suggest that, because they were being paid by the State, they would attend to the troops any differently from the way they would attend to civilians in New Zealand if they were on a salary basis here? Question of Socialism

Mr Nash said that, if the principles he was advocating were Socialism, then all he could say was that a majority of the people were keen on Socialism. There had been no deterioration in the maternity service under the social security scheme. Education was universal, the maternity benefits were universal, the hospital system was universal, and he hoped the doctors' service would become universal too. The Minister said that the Government believed, too. in the importance of preventive medicine. It believed that the system now being adopted would help in this direction. The debate will be resumed probably next Wednesday. 1 SUPPORT FOR DOCTORS PROTEST BY BUSINESSMEN (P.A.) HASTINGS. Sept. 11. A meeting of 60 > members of the Hastings Chamber of Commerce this morning unanimously recorded a protest against the proposal to compel doctors to work under the State medical scheme. A resolution was carried expressing the opinion that the socialisation of the skilled services of doctors would mark the beginning of the end of all personal freedom, in the fulfilment of individual endeavours in a vocation for which any person by ability, choice and training may become qualified. Such regimentation was either grossly discriminating or part of a deliberate policy for the socialisation of all personal services.