THE PUBLIC HEALTH.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1082, 22 March 1911, Page 4

THE PUBLIC HEALTH.

ALLEGED "POLITICAL MANOEUVRING." At the meeting of the Hospital Board yesterday Mr. F. T. Moore moved:— , That in order to discharge the duties imposed by the legislation of last session, whereby hospital boards supersede local authorities in regard to health matters, a duly qualified health officer bo added to the hospital staff. In. contending that the departure advocated in his motion was strictly necessary, Mr. Moore staled that he knew of one local l>cdy which occupied condemned buildings—condemned years ago as unfit for habitation. The same body leased condemned buildings to tenants. Mr. Van..Stavcren: "What'has that got to do with us?" Mr. Moore said that the failure of people to keep their premises decently clean, and so maintain a pure atmosphere, helped greatly to fill the hospital. Even public departments, he went on, were not free from reproach. The Railway Department permitted sowage from cottages to flow out at a spot at Tawa Flat where people had to assemble on joining and leaving trains. The matter was ono that the board's inspector, if it had one, would deal with at once. ■ • - Mr. Fitzgerald said the Government wove already doing this work, and doing it well. Ho desired to pay a tribute' to tho splendid way in which Dr. Frongley and other officers of : the Public Health Department carried out their duties. Mr. Moore stated that he entirely disagreed with Mr. Fitzgerald. He lniow of a case—it occurred at Johnsouville —in. which, an inspector of the Department condemned some material it had .been proposed to incorporate in a building. Political influence was brought to bear, and tho head of the Department so modified and varied the report as practically to cancel it. The speaker had no confidence in the Health Department, while it was subject to political manoeuvring. Ultimately it was agreed, at the instance of Mr. Kirk (Mr. Moore consenting) that the Department bo asked to cooperate with the board, so as to enable, it to carry out its duties as a Board '.of Health, in so far as it had jurisdiction. Further, the medical superintendent was asked to report to the board at its next meeting. .^