MINORITY REPORT
health of its membership. If it is composed of extremely healthy
members it can, by providing a wide range of additional benefits,
many of a medical character, enable them to become still more
healthy. If, on the other hand, it is composed of members
whose standard of health is below the average, or who may be
engaged in hazardous occupations, or occupations which call for
a higher degree of physical strength than others, the current
expenditure on cash benefits leaves no margin for surplus, and,
as a consequence, that section of the community who need all
possible services of a preventive and curative character are
limited strictly to the bare statutory benefits of the Act. As we
have been told, the position of such a member is as follows :—
““ . . . . the Act goes on providing him with medical
treatment necessary for dealing with the consequences of his
defective teeth, but unless he happens to be in a Society which
has some sort of dental benefit . . . . nothing whatever is
done for his teeth.” (Brock, Q. 1,080.)
HINDRANCE TO DEVELOPMENT.
54. We consider that the Approved Society system in itself
militates against a variety of developments which might be
found desirable. HFvidence was given to show (1) that the
extension of cash benefits to dependants would accentuate the
present deviation from the general average which results from
the system of insurance through Approved Societies (Second
Report of the Actuarial Committee and Kinnear, Q. 23,460)
and (2) that ** it would not be practicable for Approved Societies
organised on their present lines to administer Workmen's Com-
pensation (Kinnear, Q. 23,461). The Friendly Society
Movement was unanimous in desiring the limitation of cash
benefits, notwithstanding that the present rates were admittedly
insufficient (National Conference of Friendly Societies, Q. 10,649-
10,679: Heather, Q. 5590.) ‘It may be thought that that
answer is prompted by selfish motives, or by a desire to protect
an existing vested interest. Tf that is so T plead guilty to that
quite frankly (Duff, Q. 4,070); and again, ‘‘ We are advo-
cating that nothing shall be done which will injure the Friendly
Societies.” (Shaw, Q. 10,725.)
55. The Friendly Societies submit that they give an oppor-
tunity to the insured population to insure themselves privately,
and urge that it is desirable that personal thrift should be en-
couraged. We express no opinion on this latter point, but it
is important to note that the representative of one of the largest
Orders agreed that ‘‘ as regards a very large proportion of seven
million people, State Insurance is the only form of insurance
they can hope to get.” (Heather, Q. 5,608.) The system is a
hindrance to the development of a complete Public Health
policy, inasmuch as it is primarily concerned with the distribu-
