DISCUSSED BY HOUSE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 189, 12 August 1938, Page 8

DISCUSSED BY HOUSE

SOCIAL SECURITY SCHEME ITS BENEFITS OUTLINED DEBATE ON COMMITTEE'S REPORT [ Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, Aug. 11. When the House resumed at 7.30 p.m. discussion was opened on the report of the Parliamentary Committee on the Government’s National Health and Superannuation proposals. The first speaker was the Rev. A. H. Nordmeyer (Govt., Oamaru), chairman of the committee. He discussed the comments that had been made by the medical profession on the Government’s health proposals, and said that ultimately the responsibility of deciding whether the scheme should be universal or not must rest with the Government and not with the medical profession. Friendly Societies Praised. He praised the work of the friendly societies, and said he was sure everyone would agree that their service should be spread to the whole community. He asked on what grounds it would be claimed that the standard of medical practitioneis would fail if the doctors did not charge for their services? Such a suggestion must spring from a disregard of what the medical profession stood for. He could not believe the medical profession needed a section of the community to pay a fee before it could give good service. Some of the most conscientious and hardworking doctors of the Dominion were on salaries in hospitals. He was satisfied that the ideals of the medical profession were such that it was almost infamous to suggest that the standard would depreciate if no salary bar were fixed. The question of social distinction had also been raised, but a universal scheme would not lead to that, while a scheme that would treat one section out of public funds and leave others to pay would mean social distinction. There seemed to be an idea that, medical men would not receive sufficient remuneration, lor their services, but nothing was further from the ideas of the Government, and he could assure the House that attention would be paid to the reward due to men who had to spend long periods in training and acquiring skill. The conclusion of the committee was that the medical scheme should develop along the lines of the [education system and be available to] i all. I Mr. Nordmeyer continued that a son and daughter of the poorest in I lhe land were privileged to enjoy] education lhe same as children of the; i well-to-do, and the same should ap-] ] ply to medical service. Additional Hospital Grants. He went on to discuss Ire hospital and sanatorium treatment, and said that hospital boards would receive £400,000 additional to the present grant, and £40,000 additional for maternity benefits. Jn addition the need ofr a great amount, of charitable aid would cease and the boards should save fully a hundred thousand in that direction. Costly debt collection would not be needed and administrative costs should decline by ten thousand and a total of £550,000 would be saved. Several hospital boards were embarking on extensive building programmes, and it had been contended that that was part of lhe Government’s scheme. The real position was that extra accommodation was required and th? boards would receive increased grants. Mr. Nordmeyer concluded by discussing the subsidiary benefits proposed. Mr. S. G. Holland (Opp. Christchurch North), who was the next speaker, based his statement wholly on a statement submitted by the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, Mr. H. S. Kyle and himself, his speech being identical with that statement. Dr. D. G. McMillan (Govt., Dunedin West), replying to the assertion of Mr. Holland, that the doctors would go on strike, said he had no fears in that direction. During the last three years the Government had been in constant association and consultation with the medical profession, and when the Government’s proposals were placed before the profession the other day they had been in complete agreement with the Government’s recommendations with regard to remuneration, and were quite content to leave it to the Government. No Restriction as to Choice of Doctor. Replying to criticism of lhe Government’s scheme by the medical profession, he said the Government had no desire to prevent anyone choosing their own doctors, nor did it intend to introduce any costlj scheme of health insurance. Mr. H. S. S. Kyle (Opp., Riccartom, dealing with the question of finance, said the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance had asked Mr. Maddox to compile the whole of his figures on a national income of £150,000,000. He doubted very much whether that income was going to be maintained. There was no indication that the national income would increase in the same ratio in the next 40 or 50 years, as it had in the past 40 or 50 years. Mr. Kyle contended that if the Government’s health scheme were put into effect it would prove the death-knell of the friendly society scheme. Question of Finance. Mr. J. O’Brien (.Govt., Westland) said that members of the Opposition knew quite well how finance woald be provided for the scheme. Some 15 millions would be provided for in the levy and the remainder would come from the Consolidated Fund. The Opposition would have a difficult task in talking the Government’s proposals down, because from ninety to ninetyfour per cent, of the people of the Dominion would derive some benefit from the scheme. The Opposition had been very Ire in its criticism cf the Government's proposals, but had failed to draw attention to the benefits which it would confer. It had also been said that the medical profession would oppose the scheme, but every medical man he had met agreed that the proposals were splendid ones. He continued that there was no reason to believe that the country* revenue would not increase in the future as it had done in the past. The debate was set down for resumption at 10.30 a.m. to-morrow and the House rose at 10.30 pm.