DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 March 1924, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

WIFE DESERTION. MOKE STRINGENT PENALTIES FREED. WELLINGTON, i‘.-I, I Tin' extra expenditure thrown upon 1 hospital board* in having to support the fix in i 1 ir- x of deserting husbands was tiic subject of a complaint made by Mr f . I!. Chapman at a mooting of the Wellington Hospital Hoard. He said that a* would be seen from the report i f ilm Social AVelfarc Committee a large iiuiuber ol patients of this kind •were at nfesenl on the hooks of tinhoard. I)•..•! >i.\fy children were being supported, lie thought that the penalties imposed by the courts for tint j offence ol wife desertion should he j made suflieiently In-ary to act as a de-i torrent to I hose who would like to i ova. l.- then - rospoiisihild ies. .Mr E. Dimlloy said that it was evi-j doiit that the time had arrived when j lln- hoard should urge upon the Gov-j eminent to tako more drastic step's to j d,.ai with the qic-diou of desertion. llj was becoming a growing harden on! the hospital hoard and should he j checked. Mr ,\. J. M'furdie said it was not; onlv cases ol desertion with which they | liad to deal, but there was also the j non-compliance with orders. Even j when an order had been obtained t a- ain.-t a man and he was brought he-j fore the Court for disoboing it he was j usually coddled by the magistrates who, seemed reluctant to impose an axle- j ipunte penalty. HOSPITAL INQUIRY. TTTF. AUCKLAND COMMISSION. | At't'kl.AXo. I'Vb. 23. j The infpiir.v by a royal commission | into the recoil deaths of live mothers in various Auckland lio-puals "a* eontinned to-day. Carriek Cohen am gave evidence re- | ..■iM'ding some small con tact with twin ~f t|„. ,:,*,-s under review. Describing: the case admitted to the -Mater Miser!-1 eerdia hospital lie said the whole case | to lie one of tirior joteclion. : .piile imi. |> mlont ol the hospital and | medical men attending at the time of: , I

(‘Olli'illOllH.'llt • The examination of Dr M ‘(till was -mined. Asked whether lie consider-! ~<l the removal of patients from Kelvin l o-pital and disinfection met the case, j tv it ness asked what more could he j done. Ordinary precautions had been; taken. Asked whether if the department (-ranted a license to a private hospital might the commission gather that d avmrovK'd of all the hospital conditions. Witness replied: "We must make re nervations. There are many private hospitals we are not finite satisfied with.” Amelia Tlngley, assistant inspector of hosuitals at. Auckland, said inspections of hospitals wore made annually, and were pretl.v well carried out. They were made more frequently if it was thought advisable. Tn the case of Kelvin general conditions had been satisfactory, t'ntll last year there was no record of puerperal septicaemia at the hospital- . The inquiry was adjourned. LOAN PROPOSAL lIEJECTED. TIMA I? U. Feb. ‘2-2 rim s ou t!i Canlerbui.v Power Hoard’s proposals lei borrow £-1,0.000 for tie- reticulation of the district, the purchase of the Tiuiaru florough Council’s plant- and oilier works in connection with the electrification of South Canterbury, were submitted to a poll of ratepayers to-day. The poll was a relatively small one and comparatively small interest was taken in the project. AVith one small return to come hi from the Waimntc County, which cannot, affect, the result, the proposals were defeated, the figures being:— f.’or the loan J Id!) Against- 11 :U As a three-fifths majority was roquu’ed the affirmative votes are over -P short. The next move of the Power Hoard is uncertain, but it is general.y thought that several members will resign. , ..... Timarn borough gave a three-,ilths majority against, the loan. ME DTCA L CON FEE EXCE. liTSTIXOaSRED DEBUGATES.

.U'ClvV-AXG, February 28.. An event. of unusual importance in Liic- medical world will place tomorrow in tin* foregathering "I tlo- to;* and surgeons from "Now /eaunul ami overseas to take part in tko opening of t jf. annual ('(inference of the Xew /onland liraneli of file Tfiiii-a Medical Association. Tlio conference "ill bo attended by medical men froi Britain, tlio United .States, Australia mid all pints of tlio Dominion. Special distinction will be added by the pirsence of S'ii John Lynn Thomas, of Cardiff, who will represent Great .Britain anti T)i . \ v . .T. A[a vo. a world-famous American surgeon from the Mayo Clinic, Ttooliesincluded in the party from Rochester, which arrived to-day. aio 111 . Franklin Martin. Director-General of i he American College of Surgeons. Dr. Smith, Or. Harte and Air Raider. Or. S E. Kinerson ißostoil. and Or. 1. ll,,him id. The Australian delegates include Or>. it. S. Godsall. .1. C. h.dwr.ids, Gordon Craig. K. Worm It. FEwing. and Hamilton Russell. of Sydm.'. Ors. Gordon Sha". Flecker. Andrew and Mr Hamilton Marshall, of Melbourne, mid Or R. IT. P’llleine, of Am laide.

a civic welcome "ill be tendered to t’v delegates to-morrow at noon. Tn the evening a reception. at which the Gi vornor-Geite-.a! will he present, will l.e given in the Town Hall. This "id be preceded by a dinner at Government House for the overseas delegates. The installation »f Mr Cafi'k Robertson, wl succeed; Or. F. G. Gilson a.s presit.ent, will take place :C the evening ref option. After the dehvr y ot tue pt esidential address there will be speeches by the .Minister of Ilealth. Sir John Lynn Thomas, and Or. W. .T. .Mayo.

An exceedingly wide range of subjects will be coveted in the conference programme, which lias been divided into three sections, surgical, medical and special.