MATERNITY BENEFITS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 167, 18 July 1939, Page 9

MATERNITY BENEFITS

INVERCARGILL MESSAGE ERROR IN TELEGRAPHING. The United Press Association has been asked by the Southland division of the British Medical Association ♦ New Zealand branch* to explain why an incorrect report of the decision 01 that division on the subject of the contract offered by the Government, dealing with maternity benefits under the Social Security Act. appeared in certain newspapers on April 28 as a Press Association message from Invercargill. Attention was drawn to the correct report, which appeared as a Press Association message in the majority of newspapers, commencing: “A unanimous decision to reject the terms of the proffered contract between the Minister of Health and the doctors dealing with maternity benefits under the Social Security Act was reached at the annual meeting of the Southland division of the New Zealand branch of the 8.M.A.” In other newspapers the Press Association report commenced: A contract between the Minister of Health and doctors dealing with matern.iy benefits under the Social seuur'‘.y Act was reachc 1 at ing of the Southland division o the New Zealand branch of the B.M.A. ’ It was ;ointed out that the omss on of the first part of the sentence in t e latter version completely altered tne meaning. As the messages sent to a.I newspapers by the Invercargill f-gent of the Press Association were ide; 1cal, an inquiry was made whether there had been any mistake in transmission by the Post and Telegraph Department. The Press Association has received a reply from the department expressing regret that the mistake was made in the transmission < f the report to the newspapers concerned. It will therefore be apparent that the Press Association was m no way responsible for the error.