THE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 150, 20 March 1919, Page 5

THE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE

progress of demobilisation.

The Minister of Defence (Sir James 'Allen) has received a oablogram giving the following particulars of the disposition of the members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force:—ln .Prance, 6019; in the United Kingdom, 22,203;. patients in hospital in the United Kingdom, 4060; married men with -wives and families in United Kingdom, 1306; nurses and Red Cross workers to be evacuated, 368; total abroad, 33,956; total evacuated from England to New Zealand Bince wmiatice, 12,830,

BOARD OF HEALTH

JTHE RECURRENCE OH INFLUENZA.

The Board of Health resumed its sittings yesterday morning. The members j present were: The Hon. G. W. Russell (Minister of Public Health), in the chair, Sr. Valintine (Chief Health Olicer), Mr. G P. Newton (officer in charge ol local government). Dr. Elliott (president of the Sew Zealand Branch of the British Medical Association), Dr. Gordon (Auokland), Mr W. Ferguson (chairman of the .National Efficiency Board), and the Hon. John Barr, M.L.C. , The board discussed the most recent Statistics regarding influenza in the Dominion. The figures placed before the board by the Minister showed that during last week there were several severe and virulent cases. , ~ I Other matters discussed included tue Constitution of the board 'its procedure,, 'the organisation of the Public Health Department, and venereal diseases iu tho Dominion. ~ , . Hr CT J. Drake, chief clerk of the Health Department, was appointed secretary to the board. . ~ • It waa r.esolved that the board should toeet monthly, tho next meeting to beheld towards the end of AP" 1 - . p Tho board resolved that the Public Health Department and the Internal Affairs Department should be requested to Teport on their relations with the local bodies of tho Dominion in connection with matters of public health; and that opinions should be obtained on the same subject from the tarn clerks of the four chief centres. . ... . , Before the meeting closed the Minister expressed his appreciation ,pf the presenco of Dr Elliott, president of the New Zealand Branch of the British Medical Association, and desired Dr Elliott to assure his colleagues that the board hoped for their 'co-operation in all matters ot publio health Resolutions passed by . the association would receive tne most , careful consideration of the board

After the close of. tho first meeting of the Public Health Board the Minister of Public Health (Hon. G. W..Russell) told a Dominion reporter that tno mmin" had proved most useful and informative. "It was clear from the tone of the meeting," said Mr. Russell, that the members of the board regarded their responsibilities most seriously, and that they were determined tliey would extTCise the powers given to them in the most thorough manner. "I feel it my duty to assure tho members of tho board that although under the statuto ■ their powers were advisory only, yet their opinions would be regarded with the greatest respect, and that where these-opinions were in conflict with the views of tho Public Health Dpartment, as might prove at times to be the case, tho question at issue -wonld be submitted to Cabinet, the final authority, for consideration."