PUBLIC HEALTH

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 68, 14 December 1918, Page 8

PUBLIC HEALTH

POWERS AND DUTIES OF LOCAL BODIES

THE NEW ACT

STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER

"I have read with great satisfaction," stated tue Hon. U. \\. Kussell to a reporter yesterday, "tho rwuiutioji come to by the group captains and prominent epidemic iiglitors of Wellington, to set up a eiib-committeu for the purpose of drawing up «, general report regarding i tho work done during the recent visitation, with a view to maintaining a permanent organisation which will be available in connection with any future epidemic, and I sincerely trust that tlie workers in other centres will adopt the same, course. "During the discussion several important questions wore raised. The first one to which 1 will refer is the registration of lodginghouses. Under Section 2!)5 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1908, a city or borough council had power of ics own motion to make by-laws in respect of lodgiughouscs, hotels, aud houses occupied by iiuoro than one family, aud the powers given under the section were very wide, it has liow lieen repealed, and moro drastic powers have been'provided ■under Section 12 of the l'libiic Health Amendment Act. This section requires any place where more than five lodgers aro in residence to bo licensed, as also any house or tenement in which, more than one family resides or any room for the occupation of more than two persons. Ample power exists for the making of regulations under this section of the itt, 'J.'ho law on this point hitherto applied only to municipalities, but it will now obtain Throughout tho entire Dominion. The policy of. the P.ublic Health Amendment Act is that whatever laws are applicable, to cities and towns shall also i>e applicable to counties or to rural districts-.

"With regard to tho matter of improvement of insanitary portions of tho city, Clause 293 of the Corporations Act provides for widi powers. More direct macninevy still is provided by Clause 11 of the new Act, for the purposo of enabling the objects of tho original clause, to bo attained. Under Clnuso 70 of the Municipal Corporations Act it is provided that tho council mny appoint a duly certified medical practitioner as medical officer, but under Clause 20 of the new measure the. Minister is given power to require a council of any borough, having a population of more than 5000 to mnlto such an appointment, lt will therefore bo seen that in these threo important respects a very great advance has'been niiide.

"Another important clause is that which enables the Minister, on the recommendation of the Board of .Health, to establish and mnintaiTi lecturers, instructors, training classes, gymnasia, etc., in tho interests of public health. This clause is intended to widen the opportunities of training in nursing. Already suggestions have been received from the- Women's National Reserve and St. John Ambiilanco Society that these organisations should be taken advantage of'for the purposes of the scheme, , and the Minister has promised that he will confer with them before Uie scheme U brought into force. Tho intention, however, is that there shall bo no charges for the lectures or for the certificates that will bo'.issucd, and that the cost of knowledge on these matters shall tie nil, seeing the great importance of training in nursing being given to the public.'