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Hokitika Guardian, 22 November 1929, Page 4

A nuitler of very wide importance was mentioned at the Hospital Board meeting on Monday night last, when

the objects of the Cancer Campaign Society were brought under notice, and the Board invited to give the movement the widest publicity. 'The movement is an Empire one, and recently a provisional committee was set up m Lnristchureh, to cover all the area of the South Island, north of the waitaki river. This “group” takes in the provincial districts of Canterbury, Marlborough, Nelson and Westland,, with the interior Hospital Boards. The objects of the Cancer Campaign Society are;

To establish and maintain in various places throughout New Zealand, an Association of persons, firms and companies interested 111 the furtherance of a campaign for the prevention and cure of cancer and similar malignant diseases.

To establish and maintain in the main centres throughout New Zealand, laboratories and equipment for the same with a view to accurate investigation of the causes, results mid tiha-tmiaiit •generally of cancer and similar diseases.

The movement in Christchurch in particular is a very influential one, and is being supported l.y the leading members of the medical fraternity. At an early date Sir Lindo Ferguson is to give an illustrated lecture demonstrating the nature and growth of cancer cells and the effect of radium on the cell growth. *Jt seems certalin that as far as New Zealand is concerned the Dominion, will join earnestly in the movement to clo all it can to combat the fell disease. The Statistician tells us that cancer is responsible annually •for more deaths in New Zealand than can be assigned to any cause other than diseases of the heart. The increasing prevalence of -cancer as a world danger is naturally causing great alarm, The statistics .give the number of deaths in New Zealand in 1918 as 936, while for 1927 the number was 1324. There are ten countries, including England, Scotland and Wales, which have a higher death rate from cancer than New Zealand; hut there are seventeen countries recorded, which have a lower death rate. The international table shows very clearly the comparative immunity of the coloured races to cancer, and the much smaller liability of southern than northern Europeans to the disease. There is no doubt muyli room for research work in regard to the disease. New Zealand has done .a great deal. to.minimise the deaths from tuberculosis, and it is plain there is a special, field for attention in relation to canoer>. which for the last nine or. ten years, has been responsible • for the deaths of over a thousand, people per.annum. .