DOCTORS AND LODGES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1592, 29 July 1916, Page 4

DOCTORS AND LODGES.

QUESTIONS IN’ PARLIAMENT

In the House of Representatives on Wednesday afternoon, Mr R. Pietcher gave notice to ask the Minister of Public Health: —(1) In view of the vast amount of correspondence, official and otherwise, which has appeared in the press m connection with the medical dispute between the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association and the Wellington Priendly Societies, whether the National Cabinet will, in the interests of the public of the Dominion in general and the friendly societies in particular, bring in the necessary amending legislation to protect them from unnecessary intimidation and exploitation. (2) Is it the intention of the Government to amend the Act whereby the Parliament and people will have I be necessary control and regulation of the medical service given by practitioners who, in order to practise, have to be registered under the Act. (8) "Whether the Government intends to introduce penal caulses into an amending Act, so that in the case of any doctor refusing to attends to inti’oduce penal clauses inder the plea, of an alleged medical etiipietto, which should not exist to the detriment of human life, he be struck off (he Medical Register and be not. allowed to practise, and if he does so that severe penalties will be inflicted.” (Note.—ln a case recently heard in the Police Court at Auckland, Cawkwell v. Burns, the defendant was charged with assaulting the plaintiff, who is a practising doctor. The evidence was to the effect, that the defendant sought urgent medical assistance for his child, who was seriously ill, but it was refused owing to another doctor having been previously attending. The child died in the meantime, the former doctor not having been able to attend. The Magistrate condemned the plaintiff’s action, and dismissed the case with costs against the plaintiff.) On the same question, Mr Poole gave notice to ask (he Minister tor Public Health:—“(l) Whether the Government intends to take any action by providing legislation this session to amend the Medical Practitioners Act in the direction of affording the friendly societies of New Zealand and the general public the necessary relief from the arbitrary action practised by the various divisions of the British Medical Association throughout New Zealand.” (Note. —The friendly societies of the Dominion are looking forward with very great interest to a thorough revision of the system governing medical registration, and the control, if any, which the Cabinet intends to assume regarding the conditions of medical practice in New Zealand.)