REFUND WANTED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19893, 22 March 1939, Page 11

REFUND WANTED

MEDICAL BENEFIT FEES MEMBERS OF LODGE SOCIAL SECURITY TAX ODDPEI i LOWS' OPINI ON (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. A decisi: n to ask the Government to refund to lodge members the social security levy of Is in the £1 between April i and the date upon which the medical and hospital provisions of the Act become operative, was reached at the biennial conference of the Manchester Unity, Independent Order of Oddfellows, at Auckland. Mr. A. G. ShrimpU \ errand secretary, stated . ... ms .-. paid £2 8s a year to their lodges for medical and related benefits. The question ol whether they should pay the full Is in the £ immediately the Act came into operation was one which had still to be settled with the Minister of Social Security, the Hon. W. Nash. The conference authorised the preparation of legislation to deal with the problems arising out of the Social Security Act, and decided to call a special meeting to consider such legislation. Possible Basis for Doctors Although the Dominion Ccuncil of Friendly Societies had received no information relative to the medical benefits under section 3 of the Act, Mr. Shrimpton expressed the personal opinion that, if ever the issue between the Government, and the British Medical Association was settled, a medical officer would receive -about 15s per capita per annum, which would mean, in a household of five a total Of £3 15s yearly, whereas the present payment on the same basis was approximately £2 8s A suggestion had been received from the Minister that the machinery now available through the friendly societies should be used for the payment of sickness, benefits to persons in the households of friendly society members and for the payment of benefits in small centres where the establishment of an office of the department would be. unwarranted. The Government recognised, stated the Minister, that the societies would have to be rembursed for such service.

It was reported that the Government had given no further indication regarding payments to hospita' boards on behalf of members who may receive hospital benefits, Suggested Starting Time

A suggestion was made that the medical benefits of the Act should be made to date from the time to correspond with the present lodge quarter.

The position regarding the maternity allowance of £0 now being paid to friendly society members, was discussed. Information was sought at to whether this would continue when the maternity benefit under the Ac! came into operation. Mr. G.-C. Laws, district secretary Hawke's Bay, reported that he had been advised'that the National Provident Fund would continue to honour claims until the Government scheme became operative. It was further stated that the Government scheme would make it optional for a member to take the benefit under the Social Security Act or through the lodge. If the benefits were taken through the lodge, the £3OO salary bar would operate, but this would not apply if the benefit was taken under the Social Security Act.

A new rule was adopted to allow the society to co-operate whole-heart-edly with the Government in the administration of the scheme.