PEOPLE’S HEALTH

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20110, 2 December 1939, Page 8

PEOPLE’S HEALTH

MANY IN HOSPITAL CROWDING IN CITIES SIR J. ELLIOTT'S COMMENT It was rather disquieting to find that in a country like New Zealand, with a population of a million and a-half, there was such a large number in hospital, said Sir James Elliott at the annual meeting of the District Nursing Guild in Wellington. In Great Britain. Germany and other countries, there had been a great improvement in the physique and health of the people in the last few vears, continued Sir James. He would like to think that applied to New Zealand, but the fact that so much hospital treatment was required and that there was so much need for district nursing, made one wonder if New Zealand was doing all it could.

"I suppose any person who reflects wonders if the health of the people is as good now as it was 10 or 20 years ago or in the early days of the pioneers,” Sir James said. “I know the district nurses’ work, largely in the more closely settled parts of Wellington, and I know the standard of living of many of the people in the congested parts of the city leaves much to be desired so far as domestic hygiene and recreation and diet are concerned.”

It was a matter for concern, the speaker added, that so many married people were living in one musty room, for which they paid a large" rent. That must have some influence in increasing thd work of the Nursing Guild. Such living conditions might engender a state of mind so that people were more inclined to spend their money on transient amusements rather than on domestic comfort.