MINERS’ PHTHISIS PENSIONS

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXVI, Issue 7901, 12 September 1929, Page 2

MINERS’ PHTHISIS PENSIONS

, UNSATISFACTORY POSITION OF I MEDICAL BOARDS > - AMENDMENT OP ACT SOUGHT , In the House of Representatives l last week Mr A. M. Samuel, M.P. for l Thames, asked the Minister in charge of the Pensions Department whether, where there was a conflict of medical opinion in the case of an applicant for a miner’s phthisis pension, and an independent medical board was set up to consider suchcase, he would agree to one medical officer being appointed who would be approved of by the Miners’ Union of Waihi or Thames, or such other union representing the applicant; would he also direct that such board should call as evidence the local medical authority under whose treatment the applicant had been? Several cases, saitl Mr Samuel, had occurred where applicants had been refused pensions although highly qualified medical practitioners had definitely diagnosed their cases as pneumoconiosis. In reply, the Hon. W. A. vVeitdi stated that as it was the studied policy to appoint to the independent medical boards only medical officers of the highest qualifications and who had specialised in chest diseases, it was not considered necessary to invite nominations from the Miners’ Union. It was not necessary to summon the local medical officer to attend such board, as his medical certificate supplied with the miner’s application was always placed before: the board. There would, however,, be no obstacle placed in the way of the local medical officer appearing: before the board should he so desire.. In discussing this question foxwhich only five minutes was allowed.. Mr Samuel stressed, the fact, that the: reply would be most unsatisfactoryto the applicants themselves and tothe Miners' Union, and went on to state that what was being asked for was only common; justice, and ' fairplay.

Several other members of the House voiced their dissatisfaction at the reply, and finally evoked the promise from. the. Prime Minister that legiaiatidn would be brought down to ' ; vemedy the most unsatisfactory state of affairs. It is hoped that these efforts will result in benefit to those unfortunate citizens who have been informed by their own medical officers that they are suffering: from pneumoconiosis and at the same time have been denied the right of pen- " sion by the department.