PUBLIC HYGIENE

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 107, 30 January 1935, Page 11

PUBLIC HYGIENE

Inaugural Conference of Sanitary Inspectors FUSION OF TWO BODIES Representatives from the chief centres <T the Dominion were present at the first annual meeting and conference of the New Zealand branch of the Royal Sanitary Institute in Wellington yesterday. Dr. M. 11. Watt, DirectorGeneral of Health, presided. The meeting was the outcome of negotiations which have been proceeding for many months between the branch of the institute and the New Zealand Sanitary Inspectors’ Assoeiation with a view to the merging of the two bodies. The association agreed to affiliate with the institute last January, and it was arranged that members of the association should become associates of the institute. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year:—President, Dr. M. 11. Walt; vice-presidents, Drs. T. McKibbin (Dunedin), T. 11. Hughes (Auckland), W. F. Findlay (Wellington) and F. Telford (Christchurch) ; members of central executive, Messrs. C. H. Mitchell, Wellington (representing ' architects) ; G. A. Hart, city engineer, Wellington (representing municipal engineers) ; Dr. T. Ritchie, Wellington (representing medical officers of health); and Messrs. J. Fletcher (Lower Hutt) and W. B. Gough, Petone (representing the Sanitary Inspectors’ Association) ; general secretary, Mr. F. B. Gardiner (Department of Health, Wellington); treasurer, Mr. 11. W. Johnson (Wellington). The opinion was expressed Hint the place of the conference should be changeable. The venue of next year’s, conference was left to the central executive. Members were officially welcomed to Wellington by the Mayor, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, at a public meeting in tlie Concert Chamber of the Town Hall last night. “When the average person thinks of sanitation he thinks of drainage works,” said Mr. Hislop. “But they are wrong. Sanitation goes into the question of environment and air space, and its scope is very wide indet c'i.” Dr. Watt, who presided, said the occasion was unique in that it was the first public meeting to be held in New Zealand under the auspices of the Royal Sanitary Institute. He hoped members would build up an active force in promoting public health. Sanitary inspectors were all pleased (hat the fusion had -taken place between the two bodies, said Mr. R. Day, president of the Sanitary Inspectors’ Association. It was earnestly hoped that success would result from the union. Mr. A. Scholefield, Mayor of I’etone, also expressed the hope Hint the amalgamation would be attended by greater efficiency.

During the evening an address'on "A Wider Outlook on tbc Subject of Sanitation” was given by Dr. F. W. W. Dawson, assistant medical officer of health, Christchurch.