Dominion Health.

Thames Star, Volume LXV, Issue 19346, 1 March 1935, Page 3

Dominion Health.

INSURANCE SCHEME LIKELY. VIEWS OF A DOCTOR. ROTARY CONFERENCE ADDRESS. Ideas for health reform in tin Dominion were advanced by Dr. 11. D. Robertson, of Wanganui, in an address at the Rotary Conferenct at Timaru. He said that New Zea land was fortunate to be so well served medically by the Health Department, very efficient and excellent hospitals, and the Plunket Society. One of the problems of the age was the spread of venereal disease, but how far it had spread was difficult to ascertain as it was not notifiable like other contagious diseases. After quoting the findings of tho Australain Medical Congress, Dr. Robertson referred to the results of the commission of inquiry and the value of the Plunket Society's prenatal and post-natal care of mothers and children, and he urged Rotarians to interest themselves in the society's work. "I am in hearty agreement with the commission when it dwells at length on the way the young arc allowed to go to pictures, as very few films are suitable for the facile minds of the adolescent and they contribute to precocious sexuality and to a weakening of the powers of inhibition and self-control in other directions." Burderi On Taxpayer. Dr. Robertson quoted cases illustrating the cost to the taxpayer for the maintenance of the families of feeble-minded people and declared that these were causing grave concern to hospital boards and welfare officers.

He then referred briefly to the 17 recommendations of the commission, and added: "It is a great problem and apt to increase as the years progress." Dr. Robertson expressed tho opinion that a national insurance health scheme for New Zealand, based on the British medical service, would become an established fact before many parliaments had run their course. He referred to the national scheme advocated by the Hospital Boards Association, and explained the provisions which had been in force in Britain since 1911, which applied to all behveen the ages of 16 and 60 employed in manual labour and all other persons whose wages or salaries did not exceed £250,. He said that medical benefits under the national insurance were deficient in certain respects, Inasmuch as there was no provision for hospital treatment, for consultation in obscure eases, or for cases requiring specialist attention, for pathological and physical aids and X-ray diagnosis of disease. He was convinced that a similar scheme with the weaknesses eliminated would be established in New Zealand before long.