In Parliament.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 27 September 1913, Page 2

In Parliament.

Questions by Members AND MINISTERS' .REPLIES. NATIVE CHILDREN. The Hon. Mr Ngata to ask the Minister of Education, Whether his attention has been drawn tu the_ action of the Wauganui Education Board, which, it is reported, has determined to exclude Native children from the schools under the control of the Board, on tlu: ground that their presence is a menace to health Y The Hon. Mr Allen replied, By section Uli of the Act it is lawful for the teacher of any school to expel or forbid the attendance _of any child for want of cleanliness, or who may be likely to communicate any contagious disease. This, however, docs not authorise wholesale wholesale exclusion. I will have inquiry made into the matter. RURAL EDUCATION. Mr E. Newman to ask the Minister of Education, Whether the Government will consider the advisability of establishing a system of rural camp schools whereby groups of children attending schools in the cities aud large towns will periodically visit one of the State farms and thus be given an opportunity to acquire some knowledge of, and taste for, country life? The Hon. Mr Allen replied, The matter will "be considered. Much more is already being done for rural education in New Zea land primary schools than the public seems to be aware of—much more, for instance, than is being done in Australia or Canada. HOME MEDICINES. The Hon. Mr Ngata to ask the Minister of Public Health, Whether it is true that the Department has discontinued the supply of home medicines to the teachers of the Native schools for the use •"<! convenience of the Maoris in their vicinity; and, if so, whether he will reconsider the matter and renew the provision formerly made when the Native health service was controlled by the Nativ? DepartmeutTho Hon. Mr R. 11. Rhodes replied, The Department has not discontinued supplying home medicines aud remedies to the teachers of Native schools except in those districts whore special nurses have been appointed. In such districts it has been left to those nurses who have received training in the use of medicines and remedies to supply them to the Natives instead of leaving this responsibility in the hands of the Nativeschool teachers. TYPHOID FEVER. The Hon. Mr Ngato to ask the Minister of Public Health, Whether, in view of the frequent outbreaks of typhoid fever in Maori settlements, and of the great expense entailed upon the Department and upon local bodies in combating the disease, he will take steps to secure, wherever possible, the inoculation oT the Maori population? (Note. The experience of other countries seems to prove that inoculation a fiords effective protection against typhoid fever). The Hon. R. H. Rhodes replied, Much discussion is taking place with regard to the efficacy of anti-typhoid inoculation, and medical evidence is now greatly in favour of the procedure, sn much so that two years ago Hospital Boards were circulated with regard to tho advisability of all nurses in our public institutions being subjected to this treatment, though so far this offer has not been taken advantage of to any extent. The proposal that Natives and other persons in districts where typhoid is endemic should have the advantage of this preteotive treatment is an excellent one, and the Department will be only too glad to put it into opera lion provided Hospital Boards and other authorities will exorcise their influence in this direction. A supply of anti-typhoid scrum always available, and onn he for-' winded to any district at comparatively short notice.