SCHOOL DENTAL HYGIENE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19163, 21 November 1927, Page 6

SCHOOL DENTAL HYGIENE.

CLINIC OPENED AT SUMNER. The Sumner borough denial clinic was officially opened by the Mayor of Sumner on Saturday afternoon in the presence of a large number of residents of Sumner and Jledcliffs. Those present included the Mayoress of Sumner (Mr W. H. Nicholson), Mr J. McCombs, M.P., and members of the Bedcliffs and the Sumner District High Schools Committees, and representatives of the local associations. Messrs H. M. Williams and E. P. Sandford, the chairman of the two School Committees, welcomed the official visitors. Addressing the gathering assembled near the clinic building, Mr 'Williams, the chairman of the combined Suroner-Bedclffs Dental Clinic Committee, expressed the committee's great pleasure at the attendance, and welcomed nil to inspect the new building. He read apologies from the Minister for Education, the Hon. Mr Wright, and Colonel Hunter, Director of tho Department of Dental Hygiene, who stated that he would inspect the clinic on November 30th; from Mr W. V. Siddall, the Town Clerk, and from Messrs G. A. Alexander, H. D. Bates, J. Browne, and F. M. B. Crawford, director of the School for the Deaf. He said that the committee's thanks were duo to the people of Sumner and Bedcliffs. No venture in Sumner seemed a success unless supported by the.'Mayor, and on this occasion he desired to specially thank him for the support he had given. He desired specially to thank tho donors of the splendid furnishings, the Education Board officials, and Mr J. McCombs, who at .a critical period came to the assistance of the committee with valuable results in Wellington. The movement for a' clinic commenced in June, 1925, with Mr G. A. Alexander as chairman, in conjunction with the Woolston committee. Messrs J. McCombs, D. Sullivan, and E. J. Howard had made successful representations to the Department in. Wellington, and the Sumner committee, under Mr W. C. Collins, had succeeded in getting plans in March, 1926. They were fortunate in having the movement piloted by Messrs Alexander and Collins. Mr C. P. B. Tripe, of the Sydenham clinic, congratulated the people on the completeness and up-to-dateness of the clinic, and hoped everyone would avail themselves of its use. Mr Nicholson, before declaring the clinic open, said that they all owed a debt of gratitude to Mr McCombs for his assistance to the school extending over a period of years. He had never refused to do his best. They were also, now, fortunate in securing the services of Nurse Sanderson. The clinic would be a most valuable adjunct to the school. It would be good for the children, and a great relief to the parents. He had much pleasure in asking the Mayoress to unlock the door.

Mr J. McCombs, Si.P., expressed his pleasure at being present, and said that it was always an easy matter to help the school, because the Sumner people were always ready to help themselves, and whenever he approached the Minister with this fact it touched him at once. He was able to say that this clinic would be in the interests of all children, including Mt. Pleasant, Redcliffs, Sumner, and Taylor's Mistake.