STRAIGHT TALK TO THE B.M.A.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17834, 30 April 1926, Page 14

STRAIGHT TALK TO THE B.M.A.

MINISTER OF HEALTH IS UP IN ARMS. (Special to the “Star.") BLENHEIM. April 29. Th« British Medical Association was the subject of some caustic comment by the Miuister of Health, the Hon J. A. Young, to-day, when opening the new nurses home at Wairau Hospital. "We have recently had in New Zealand.” said the Minister, "a gentleman from America invited here by the British Medical Association, which •cems to be very angry with me because I did not throw my arms around his neck and accept without question everything he had to say.” ATTEMPT TO DICTATE. Mr Young said he wished to say that neither he nor his Department was above accepting anything in Dr MacEachem’s report, which would better the health of the people of this country, but when anyone attempted to dictate to him or use pressure or propaganda to undermine the powers of the Hospital Boards, the Department or the people, he would be up in arms, and would take a stand against the whole medical profession. No one else in the country would take up a more determined attitude than he would. THE DOCTOR S JOB. He recognised that the doctors performed an important function, but their job was not to govern the community. but to help it in sickness and maintain its health. While the profession kept to its job it would have no greate.r friend than himself, but when it failed to observe that rule he would be up against it. He would give the medical profession every assistance he could, but when it came to a matter of political control of the business, as they called, it. he would have his say in the mat ter. The B.M.A. had suggested that the representative elected members of hospital boards were not suitable to carry on the work they were doing. All he could say was that the community had its remedy, and if it was not satisfied it could bring about a change at any time. If wc had the nominated system there would be neither the soul to endeavour, nor the body to kick out what was not proving to the satisfaction of the people.

RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE. "We are a democratic community,” proceeded the Minister, "and if the institutions become unsatisfactory in the service they render and the work they do, don’t blame the institutions and the crowd that are doing the job, but blame yourselves for neglecting to take that interest in the matter that you should so as to ensure getting the highest standard of work for which you pay.” (Applause). The Minister quoted Dr Watt's letter from San Francisco expressing satisfaction at the hospital conditions in New Zealand as compared with the United States, and adding that in the States hospital and medical fees were appalling. "I am told by the medical men in Wellington." said Mr Young, "that it is very unfair of me to read this letter from Dr Watt, but I think wc must trust our ’own men rather than strangers who come here to tell us how to run our business." The Minister concluded by asserting that if nominated persons were given charge of the hospitals they would get what they wanted whether the people could afford it or not. "I want the people to be behind me.” he said, "in maintaining the rights of a free people to govern their own institutions.”