104 
MAJORITY REPORT. 
not satisfied that this is always their primary purpose and that 
it is not sometimes subordinated to other objects of a less com- 
mendable character. We do not think it necessary to the 
welfare of the system of National Health Insurance that it 
should have what may, without offence, be termed a political 
side. To the activities engendered by such action a dispropor- 
tionate part of the time of those concerned may possibly be 
devoted, and this must, we think, be detrimental to those 
important duties of daily routine in the management of the 
Societies which should be the first care of their paid officials. 
We think there is some danger to the system in tendencies 
of this kind, and that this may be stimulated by the 
arrangements under which Societies have a considerable degree 
of liberty in sending representatives to conferences of all kinds 
and remunerating them for time as well as actual expenses. If 
one element in the system more than any other may be regarded 
as a possible danger to its future, it is, we think, this inclination 
towards the development of what we have called a political 
side. 
225. Having indicated these general considerations, which we 
think deserve serious attention, we proceed to discuss certain 
modifications of the Approved Society system to which, in our 
opinion, effect should be given as soon as possible. 
ADMINISTRATION OF TREATMENT BENEFITS. 
226. In the first place it has been submitted to us that Approved 
Societies are not the most suitable bodies for the administration 
of ‘benefits in the nature of treatment, and that the arrangements 
for these benefits could be better made on a territorial basis, as is 
already done in the case of medical benefit. - Evidence on two 
directly conflicting lines has been put before us on this subject. 
On the one hand, bodies representing the Approved Societies 
have urged that ‘*‘ all treatment benefits should continue to be 
administered by the Societies.” (National Conference of 
Friendly Societies, App. XXVI, 29; Loyal Order of Ancient 
Shepherds, App. X1.IV, 36.) On the other hand, the British 
Medical Association point out that the powers of Approved 
Societies in this respect are restricted by the Act to paying the 
whole or part of the cost of treatment, and that Societies are not 
entitled to administer the treatment benefits in the proper sense. 
The Association ‘‘ insist that payments in respect of treatment 
shall be under public and not under Approved Society administra- 
tion.”” (Q. 15,000-15,002, 15,092-15,098.) 
297. Sir Walter Kinnear, giving evidence on behalf of the 
Ministry of Health. informed us that °° the administration of 
schemes of treatment benefits is still largely in the experimental 
stage. The Societies have administered these benefits fairly well, 
considering the difficulties under which they work, but many of 
the Societies, and particularly the smaller ones, are experiencing