MEDICAL SERVICE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24716, 19 September 1941, Page 6

MEDICAL SERVICE

REGIMENTATION OF DOCTORS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PROTEST (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Sept. 18. A strong protest was made by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce at the coercive terms of the Social Security Amendment Bill, and supporting the request of the president of the British Medical Association for consideration by a fully-competent body of the issues at stake. The president (Mr L. A. Eady) said he could not protest too strongly against the further attempted breach of democratic freedom that the Bill revealed. If they did not protest now he considered they would deserve the chains of national regimentation and compulsion which were being forged link by link. ANOTHER PROTEST MEETING AUCKLAND WEST ELECTORS (P.A.) AUCKLAND. Sept. 18. A meeting of about 250 people ai Ponsonby. which was convened and addressed by Dr W. H. Pettit, to-night carried the following resolution, with few dissentients:— That this meeting, consisting largely of electors of Auckland West, desires to inform the Government that it has been reported that five general practitioners residing in this electorate regret that they cannot practise under the terms of the Social Security Amendment Bill. This meeting, therefore, considers it is the responsibility of the Government to provide an adequate medical service for this electorate. In order to do this, this meeting is convinced that, it will be necessary—(l) To withdraw the Bill, or (2) to procure five doctors to replace those residing in Auckland West, or (3) to permit the resident doctors to practise outside the terms of the Bill. A further motion requesting the council of the British Medical Asso cialion to launch a general campaign of protest against the Bill by immediately oranising further public meetings was carried without dissent amid much enthusiasm. A VICAR'S VIEWS INVITED TO ADDRESS UNION (P.A.) WELLINGTON. Sept. 18. An invitation has' been extended by the Wellington Amalgamated Society of Painters and Decorators’ Industrial Union of Workers to the vicar of St. Peter's Anglican Church. Wellington. Archdeacon Bullock, to attend a meeting of the union on Monday week to give an address on “The State and the Doctors” T The secretary of the union, Mr W. J. Shannon, yesterday sent the following letter to Archdeacon Bullock: - “The members of the Wellington Painters’ Union read with astonishment an account of the sermon delivered by you from the pulpit of St. Peter's Church on Sunday, September 14. That you have very definite views on the subject there is no doubt, and nothing would give us greater pleasure than to hear you express them in person. Therefore we have much pleasure in inviting you to give an address to our next union meeting on Monday. September 29. the topic of discussion to be ‘The State and the Doctors.’ If you should find the date unsatisfactory, we shall .be only too willing to arrange an alternative date.” Archdeacon Bullock, who has been on a visit to Christchurch, this week, is expected to return to Wellington to-mbrrow morning.