NATIONAL INSURANCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 November 1923, Page 5

NATIONAL INSURANCE.

EVIDENCE IN SYDNEY. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Sydney, Nov. 29. 1 Giving evidence before the commission of inquiry into the national insurance scheme, the grand secretary of one of the large friendly societies stated there was no friendly society in New South Wales whose sickness contribution covered its liabilities. In many districts the excessive sickness was due to the congested areas. In the country districts the returns generally exceeded the expenditure. The general experience with regard to sick pay to women was most unsatisfactory. The great problem for a national insurance scheme would he the invalid. None should be allowed higher than 30s weekly, as anything above this tended to induce malingering. The secretary considered the doctors’ lodge fees too high and not justified, only by all the friendly societies adopting a pooling system would they get satisfaction with regard to medical attention. Received Nov. 29, 9 p.m. Sydney, Nov. 29. At the national insurance inquiry, representatives of all the friendly societies examined stressed the heavy calls upon them from the mining districts for sick pay. One stated these calls were so heavy that the society was opening no more branches in mining districts.