THE AFTERMATH

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 67, 13 December 1918, Page 5

THE AFTERMATH

EPIDEMIC FIGHTERS CONFER

GENERAL REPORT TO BE DRAFTED

ORGANISATION FOR FUTURE EPIDEMICS

Mr. H. A. Parkinson presided over an . important meeting of group captains and prominent epidemic fighters held at noon yesterday in the board room of the Wellington Education Board. The convener (Mr. W. Foster) said that .his object in calling the meeting ■was to arrange for a report which would cover their work during the opidemio. i They had* all had experiences during the past three weeks, the net result of which must be of value to the State' and the community. His idea was that a small sub-committee should be set up, which would consult with the heads of the various groups, and glean from them all information of value. Speaking personally his experiences had been an eyeopener. The questions he proposed they should deal with, as the result of those experiences, included the housing of the people, and tho securing of an efficient system of sanitary inspection. The third ' point might seem idealistic, but was included for what it was worth. He held that houses should bo licensed for so many people, in the same way as ships were licensed to carry so many passengers. It seemed in that regard that they legislate for the health of some of the people, and for others they did not. Then there was the problem of tene; ment houses and private hotels, which in some cases were found to be grossly overcrowded. His idea was that all such information should be collected, and included in one comprehensive report which would be handed to the Government, the . City Council, and the Press. He 'would move in that direction.

The Housing Problem, Mr. P. Fraser, M.P., in seconding the motion, said that if such a report, coming "from such a representative committee, embodied details in a comprehensive manner, it should have a great amount of weight. If something of the sort were not done now tho'epidemic was practically over, there was a danger that the whole matter would be allowed to drop. The new Health Act fortunately emphasised the duty 'of the .State to the people. He regretted that the clause relating to housing, one of the most desirablo clauses in the Bill,' showing what course they should lake, was .rejected when the- Bill went to "the Hoiise v of Lords." He was of opinion that the committee should go into tho whole matter; examine, all tlia Acts bearing on the question at issue, and generally review what had been done in the past, and set out what ought to be done in the future. If such a report could be prepared they would certainly be doing a great work. It was -interpolated by Mr.. J. J. M'Grath that he understood that the clause rejected by tho Legislative Council was to be embodied in the' Town Planning Bill to be presented next session. A report such as was proposed .should be a very great help to the Minister in compiling that Bill, Continuing, Mr. Fraser said that Mr. Wilford had mentioned to him' that .whilst he was Mayor he had a scheme for the replanning of TeAro flat. It was pigeou-holedsomowbero in the Town Hall, and nothing was done in the matter. ■ „' , In Defence. Mr. George Frost said that a scheme, had been prepared by the Government, the Harbour Board, and the City Council for improving the city, but-it had not been made public. " An earlier scheme had been prepared by the City Engineer. A voice: When? Mr. Frost: Over four years ago, and if any of those present will go along to the-. Town Hall, Mr. Morton will no doubt be pleased to show it to them. But the whole thing had to be dropped owing to the -war. There was no money, and to do work of the kind that would be ,of any value a huge - amount of money would be .required to be raised by loan. As it was, the Government'by its War Regulations Act prohibited the spending of more than .£3OOO on a building, which would have been a drop in the bucket. It was not that the council did not wish to go on with the work that the report was pigeon-holed, but that at the time itwas hung up on account of the war. Speaking generally, Mr. Frost said that from a sanitary point of view Wellington compared favourably with anv other citv south of the Line; but tho council had been hampeved by statutory W, and required more extended powers. He understood that a clause in the "Washing Up.' Bill had given power to the council to build houses at Lyall Bay, 'but up till a few days ago the council had not that power, «nd since that time the council had not met. -Taking the council as a whole he could say that it did feel its responsibilities, but as for making sweep-1 ing. improvements it was the question of I a loan—now tie council could raise such a loan by,special order.. The contention put_ forward '.by Mr. Fraser that the sanitary conditions, of. tho city were responsible i for the epidemic-was simply buncombe. If Mr. Wilford had any such plans as stated by Mr, I Fraser he must have kept them in his own nigeon-hoies. He believed .that the committee could give valuable information which would be of benefit to the Government, the council, and the health of the people. Mr. H.' Tolan believed that such a report would be a help. to. the people of New Zealand. At the same time he thought the responsibility should, be thrust on to the Government rather than upon the City Council.' He thought much of the evil could be remedied by a good town-planning Bill. Mr. T. Gray said that even if their surplus population were shifted out into the suburbs or out of Te Aro ilat. if an epidemic came along there would still be the same results. A voice: Not altogether. Continuing. Mr. Gray said that in en old house, if kept clean, there was as little danger of infection as in a new house. The point he wished to make was that personal cleanliness was a chief factor.

Compulsory Nursing Instruction? Mr. Eraser: "People can't remain clean in some of these houses. Let the council get on with its town-planning and avoid overcrowding and it will be all right." He would like it set out what was to be done in the event of another epidemic. They should be assured 'of a competent nursing staff, and lectures might be arranged for the instruction of helpers. Mr. H. F. Toogood: Why not compulsory training as nurses for girls as there is compulsory military training for boys? A voice: Leave it to the Government! Mr. Toogood: "If w« leave it to the Government nothing will be done." They should direct the Government the way it 'should go. The present regulations respecting sanitation-were administered in part by the Government and- in part by the city or county councils, and between them they made a holy mess of it. This was a matter the people themselves. They did not want it to be another case of the ambulance after the accident. What was wanted to get the people out of the city was a uniform tram fare. Mr. Thomas Forsyth said they were all indebted to Mr. Foster for his .idea, which was a very excellent one. He had heard of Mr. Russell's new Bill, which nobody seemed to be able to make much of and others considered unworkable. The report should be of real practical value.

Nationalise the Medical Profession? Mr. H. Holland, M.l\, said there was one thing which overshadowed everything concerned with the epidemic which had swept over New Zealand,'and that was (he nationalising of the medical profession. He was ono of the early sufferers by the epidemic, and was not able to do the.work which had been so well done by those present, but to his mind that question stood o'jt over everything else. He knew how enthusiastically nnd selfsacrificingly the doctors had worked—no man could do more—but there had been overlapping. The doctors had their private patients, and they had como from them to attend the influenza patients. He would nationalise the whole of the medical profession—and the chemistry side—have New Zealand cut up into blocks as the city was cut up, and make

every medical officer supervisor over the sanitary inspectors. Then if the epidemic camo again—and 'it was bound to come again next year—they would 'have a better ohanco of beating it. He thought the housing clause in the new Public Health Bill the best in it, and it should be in the Town Planning Bill. Mr. M'Grath: Mr. Russell says it will. Mr. Holland: "What Mr. Eussoll says is one thing, and what the Cabinet does is another." He supported the motion.

Abnormal Conditions. Mr. Parkinson said they were apt to forget that Wellington was abnormal owing to the concentration of so niany nieu in the camps. It was not always so overcrowded. Ho could remember when "To Let" notices were commonly seen, and in three or four years they might appear again. One thing they should work for was an adequato supply of nurses. .In that connection the couvmitsupport him in praising the work of the St. John Ambulance. On behalf of his committee he had personally taken, the opportunity of writing; a letter to the president of that association, expressing thanks for the work it had done in preparing people to meet such emergencies.

Conflicting Powers. Mr. T. Kirker (representing the Rev. 1 Robertson Orr) said that ho had one point to make. In Wellington North, where he 'acted as an inspector, they had found many houses absolutely unfit for human habitations, and on inquiry had found that the City Council had no power to prevent them being so used. They had then rung upMr. Russell, who told them the council had full powers, and when they went to see tho Mayor again he did hot know whether he had the power or not. lt was explained that a clause in the new Act corrected the position. Mr. J. B. Hopkirk said that in view of the possibility of a another epidemic breaking out in the near future, ho thought the committee should have,some ciit-and-dried scheme ensuring that the comm.ittees could oe called together again. Europe was the breeding ground of all the deadly microbes, and as the soldiers would bo returning to ■ their homes in all 'parts of the world now, some thorough system should be prepared in ease of an outbreak—it might be c.s.m., which was now going about. ' Mr. Foster said/when he convened the meeting he had no thought of putting the blame on anyone. But they had suddenly been thrown into new activities, which had revealed another book of revelations, and they, a body of men with no axes to grind,' saw in them and their cure something that should be of value to the -State. The motion was then carried unanimously. It readThat this meeting agrees to set up a sub-committee to prepare o. joint report ou questions brought into prominence by the. recent epidemic.

Sub-Committee Appointed. Professor Hunter, Messrs.' W. Foster, P. C. Watt, P. Fraser, M.P., and H. F. Toogood were then appointed a subcommittee to draw up a. report to be presented to a general meeting to be held in the Education Board's room on Fri-day,-December 20.