EYE-SIGHT AND HEALTH.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2289, 7 September 1908, Page 2

EYE-SIGHT AND HEALTH.

NEED FOR LEGISLATION

In the course of a conversation u ith a. Times” representative, Air. \v. Heine, of Alelbourne. who is an expert optician and teacher of optical science, and who is on a visit to Gisborne at present, spoke of the extreme importance of the care of tlie. eye in relation to health. Air. Heine, who claims to be the first teacher of optical science in Australasia, and who is at present on a holiday trip to tlie Dominion, is taking the opportunity of giving further tures to ins pupils throughout the Dominion, and in endeavoring to further advance the movement for an association of opticians in this oountry. There is no legislation, said Air. Heine, governing tlie optical profession, and an Australian with optical knowledge is not much better than tho man without unless he goes to another country to qualify. There was a distinct need in. New Zealand lor some form of optical education. Alany persons paid attention to their teeth while completely neglecting the eyes, forgetting that while the former could be replaced, it was, as yet utterly impossible to do so with the latter. Not only was this due to the carelessness of the people, but also to tho fact that the care and preservation of the eyesight was neglected in human education. Reverting again to the absence of legislation governing opticians, Air. Heine pointed out that by. law the medical, dental, and pharmaceutical professions, were protected from quacks, whilo there was nothing to hinder any person from calling himself .ail optician. “In New Zealand,” lie said, “even your sanitary plumbers are regulated, and there is talk of farriers also being shortly supervised; your accountants have an association, the object of which is.the protection of the people against incompetent men; your milk is being inspected to ensure purity, and your meat is likewise supervised. Yet in all these advances for the betterment of the people and their protection, the greatest of all matters, the eyesight, is overlooked.” Nothing but an asociation of opticians would ..ensure tho protection of the eyesight of the people of New Zealand, and give the qualified man the standing he deserves. Personally, ho bad no doubt that if tho opticians of tlio country formed an association, the Legislature would afford them the samo protection by law as was already granted to kindred professions. Air. Heine claims to have met with much encouragement during his tour, and is of the opinion that tho formation of an Opticians’ Association of New Zealand will be the signal for the establishment of a similar society in Australia. The chief aim of tlio association would be to educate the people in the preservation of their eyesight, as at present there was exceeding danger to be apprehended from unqualified men who called themselves opticians, but were really ignorant <>f the rudiments of optical science.