FRIENDLY SOCIETIES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 289, 9 May 1914, Page 16

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES

DOCTORS AXD MEMBERS. THE £2OO LIMIT. Dunedin, May -l. Interviews were obtained to-day with representatives of friendly societies concerning the decision of the British Metrical Association reported from Auckland, not to pass for membership any person earning more than £2OO per annum.

Mr. J. H. F. Hamel, who is provincial [ treasurer, Otago district. M.U.f.0.0.F., declared himself very emphatically on the matter. He said the present'laws of friendly societies only debar a person from becoming •/ member of a friendly society because of physical or mental base of which is brotherhood, is of good character. Therefore, such a proposition as that which the Medical A.-sociaticn has adopted must create distinction in organisations the fundamental base of wheh is brotherhood. '•That such a drastic act will moot with stern opposition,'' remarked Mr. Hamel, "goes without saying. The puzzle is how any presumably intelligent body of mm could have determined on such an important change without first consulting the large communities interested, and giving reasons in support of such a proposal. The disquieting suggestion is made that the resolution adopted is but the forerunner of an organised attempt by the big men in the medical profession to exploit the population of thh dominion. This thought is strengthened by the fact that the reciprocal gain to both the lodge and its medical officer has never been brought into question. The recognition again and again by the medical profession of the help that a Lodge is to a medical man when starting in his profession is a matter of general knowledge. Many of our abl'.st musicians commenced their careers us Lodge medical officers. If by virtue of the higher cost of living a readjustment is considered necessary, fiimify society members will certainly support such readjustment. The whole business is an ugly interference with people, both Lodge members and medical officers, who have worked in a most harmonious manner together. The amount paid to medical officers in Dunedin amounts to over £(:000 per annum. Consideration lias been given on two or throe occasions to the question of forming a Medical Union in Dunedin, that is,"the employment of a number of medical officers who would attend friendly society members only, but this was shelved because of the excellent relations i.listing between medical officers and Lodge members under the present system. The inquisitorial machinery necessary to find out every member's income, the lluctuations in income, the man unable to join because bis income exceeds £+ per week and who lato in lift; comes down the financial ladder and is too old to he admitted a member or the Lodge nil offer obstacles to a proposed system that is completely at var ance with the principles of friendly i -iocietii's and their aims and objects.. It would be wise for the medical fraI tomity to hesitate before attempting | to put into practice thi'ir coercive proI posals and just permit.tliem to remain ! in their present polemical inactivity.' | Mr. William Reid, Grand Secretary of the Independent Order of Oddfellows, Xow Zealand, points out that a great number of members joined many years ago, when their income was considerably than £2(10 a year, but who have by service and personal enterprise gained a higher salary. If these members demanded the service of tlieir lodge doctor Brother Reid does not see how the lodge and the doctor could avoid u clear breach of contract if the doctor refused to attend thorn. But experience has shown that a great many members whose incomes are such as to enable them to euvrage •the services of a private doctor do not take advantage of their lodge doctor's services, although the doctor receives the per capita allowance annually. As a rule, however friendly societies are really working men's associations ant the decision of the British Medical As-

sotiation is not likely to affect the order to any great extent. Men who are ir. receipt of a good salary do not join friendly societies as a rule. >rr. Steel, Past Grand President of the Ornids. says that while in'esent arrang»nicnts in Otago with the doctors :"- ipiite friendly the Druids will assuredly fight if the doctors insist on their right to limit tlie membership.