MEDICAL CONGRESS

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10427, 19 September 1911, Page 5

MEDICAL CONGRESS

CABLE NEWS

United Press Association — By Elec* , trie Telegraph — Copyright.

SITTING IN SYDNEY

THE CONTROL OF HOSPITALS.

(Received Last Night, 9.20 o'clock.)

SYDNEY, September 18

The Australasian Medical Congress, after the disposal of the formal business, discussed the question of the ahuse of hoEipitals by those able to pay. The real interest in the debate was centred in the attitude of the profession towards the proposals recently made by the Hon. Mr Flowers-, acting chief secretary, in favour of a general system of State hospitals. Doctor Worrall (Sydney) said he hoped that whatever the Ministers did the profession would fight to the last ditch the proposal, which, he said was not only adverse to the interests of medical men, but also to the interests of the sick and poor. Doctor Nash (Sydney) supported Mr Flowers' scheme.

The majority of the other speakers were more favourable to the continuation of the present voluntary system.

Dt Robertson (New- Zealand) said the mistake in the New Zealand hospitals' legislation was .that ithey failed to adopt a primary understanding that hospitals were intended for the sick and poor. The Congress adopted resolutions to the effect that if the Governments undertook the entire financial support of Hospitals, patients who are able to obtain medical services outside the- hospitals should' he excluded, and that the Boards of Management should be retained.