DOCTORS AND FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3063, 7 December 1908, Page 4

DOCTORS AND FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

Incidentally, while making enquiries ;about the new agreement between medical men and members'of 'friendly societies, a representative of "The E ?ening Post" heard an opinion that the conference between representatives of both sides''had accomplished little except in the provision of machinery for settlement of disputes by arbiters , appointed by each party. 'However, 'further investigations drew remarks' that the British Medical Association have good cause to hope that their relations with friendly societies will be improved under the new regime.' Thedoctors conceded much, but the societies also gave something, for the draft agreement, eiibrhitted by the societies>nd accepted 'almost totally • by the doctors,'■was a better 'one, • from

their point of view, than the old schedule. The only matter that was not settled was the amount of remuneration. Some delegates, individually, admitted that the doctors were entitled to higher fees, but the representatives of the lodges expressed no opinion, officially, on this question, and the fixing of the recompensation i 3 to be left for each lodge to arrange with its medical man. The items were discussed very amicably; there was no fighting. One of the friendly societies' principal delegates said it was a "splendid agreement." The delegates had full power to act for the lodges, and he was confident that harmony would prevail.