SOCIAL HYGIENE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 16, 13 October 1917, Page 8

SOCIAL HYGIENE

Sir -I wish to correct an extraordinary 'mis-statement attributed _ to Lady Stout in one of tho Press notices of her meetings, in which she states that my action in interviewing tho Hospilat Committee on the subject of a. bureau of social hygiene is a result of the present agitation. This is not • correct. _ A bureau of this kind has been in existence in Christchurch sinco I'ebruary last. It was formed as n direct tcsull ot a series of lectures Bi.vcn by me, 111 jcsponso to an invitation by the Hospital Board, and at the personal request of tho Minister of Public Health. Earned women-bv no means all members o societies-wished to have some practical result from the lectures. The Mini.ta approved of tho bureau and has « war given it his .sympathy and .uppoit. If "particular credit should be g vo to anyone it is to the Minister for, «ill - out tho financial aid of the Diriment the scheme could not have bee l c.nltd out It was necessary that such n »f----ment should pass through in expertmental stage, and that accoun s foi the fact of its not having been mged m Wellington. Recently, however the Min iter, satisfied ,with the report of the! committee for the first six months trial has sanctioned a continuance of the work in Christchurch. There is therefore, I consider, no reason why its listens on to Wellington should be longer delayed. If successful in Christchurch it should be equally so in our city. I naturally approached the Hospital Committee to suggest the continuance of the educational campaign thev themselves began some little time ago. because they did me the honour of asking me to initiate it. There are many obstacles in the way of an organised campaign, but they are gradually being overcome I believe that (he establishment in each of our large centres of a bureau of social hygiene, such as is so successful in Christchurch, is the best means of

organising, as it combines the. efforts (fj| noble women workers, their represent* fives on the board, the medical pn>ies> sion, and the Public Health Department.—! am, etc., DAISY E. PLATTS-iIILLS.