SOCIALISTIC?

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 224, 20 September 1940, Page 8

SOCIALISTIC?

CONSERVATIVE MIND. SOLDIERS AND HOSPITALS. "It is surprising how quickly the conservative mind becomes socialistic when it is a case of looking for Government ass-istaoice or grants," said the Minister of Health, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong,

this morning. He was referring to a etatement made at the last meeting of the One Tree Hill Borough Council, by the Mayor, Mr. I. J. Goldstine, criticising what he termed the policy of the Government in calling upon local bodies, through the hospital boards, to carry a share of the cost of providing hospital treatment for soldiers.

The Minister said that the hospitals would not have to deal with soldiers who were permanent invalids. "We are providing additional accommodation at Ha inner and at Rotonia for those who have to be specially cared for," he said. "We know what happened in the last war in resj>ect to men who were gassed, or who suffered from shellshock. The Government of that time provided for them and so will the present Government. The institutions where they will be accommodated are under the Health Department administration and are no concern of the hospital boards.

"Of course, the boards will have to do their part, too, but in most cases where men are sent to ordinary hospitals their stay is only temporary. It is far too early to start a criticism of something that has not been finally planned and one can only conclude that an attempt ie being made to embaria-ss the Government. For the last 15 years every Government ha* had to withstand pressure from sections of the business community demanding Government assistance or control.

"Surely the terms 'control' and 'subsidy' come within the scope of Socialism," he added. "There is hardly an industry in the country to-day that is not backed up in some wav by the Government. We will not "shirk our resjwneibilities a e far as the soldiers are concerned. That is definite."