NEW ZEALAND’S HEALTH

Hokitika Guardian, 3 February 1930, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND’S HEALTH

DIRECTOR-GENERAL’S REMINISCENCES. ADDRESS TO INSPECTORS. CHRISTCHURCH, January 20. How lie performed the first operation for adenoids in the North Island and received a fee of 10s for it was told by Dr T. H. A Valintine, Director-General of Health, to the annual conference of the New Zealand Sanitary Inspectors yesterday. When lie heard of fees of £SO-for'the same kind of operation now, he felt somewhat ill. Nevertheless lie made more money in the old days than lie did now, though fees were small then. Personal reminiscences, given in a chatty style were the material of his address. In England in the fifties, he said, he began to read up public health. He was fascinated by the subject. He came to New Zealand and registered as a medical practitioner in Wellington as D.P.H. He found practice in New Zealand delightful. It was a genuine pleasure to light his pipe on a patient’s doorstep and to discard the top-hat. He was passionately fond of horse-riding, met with an accident and had one leg amputated on his thirtyninth birthday but soon afterwards he was ridng long distances in Taranaki. He npule more, money then than he’made now, although the fees were small. FJe did the first operation for adenoids in tlie. North Island, receiving a fee of 10s.

He was appointed head of the new Health Department.by the Right Hon. R. J. Setjdon. In those days there was strong feeling against the Liberal Government. and*it was, reflected in tlie atitude of local bodies towards members of the Health Department. Mr Seddon did not like him at first, but later they became close friends. He had the Ugliest regard for Mr Seddon, especially as an Imperialist. The opposition to the Government handicapped the new Department. In the Department’s early days there was difficulty in getting inspectors. The first four appointed did magnificent work, and the traditions they established had been carried out all along. < Six hours; after the Department was established it got well, under wav. In 1907 lie left the Health De-

partment to become Inspector-General of Hospitals. ; Later, the t>vo Departmens were amalgamated and he took control of the resulting single Department. One of his. first, duties under the new arrangement was to retrench some officers, and jt was the inost unpleasant duty he ever discharged. He hopied that, he would . not have the same exeprience again.

The year 1919 saw the smallpox epidemic. With Dr Buck (Te Rangihiroa) wlio did admirable work, he went amongst the North Island Maoris. They got rid of the epidemic in three months, although it continued in Sydney for jmore than a year. As a result of that epidemic he came' into touch with Dr Watt who was then at Ngaruawahia. He was induced to join the department and proved to be one of the ablest officers in New Zealand an officer of whom he could not speak too highly. He was halff-wav to England when the. war broke out. Going to the War Offioe in London, he offered his services, and was assigned to hospital .Work in England. On asking his Minister for pm-mission he received a cable message: “Return by first boat.” With Mrs Valentine, he set out in a cargo vessel. He found on arrival that he had to take control of Trentham where the influenza epidemic was raging. Few people re r .l) ed; what it really was like. To him it was a terrible experience lint he could not express his gratitude for the way in which the people of New Zealand backed him up. They knew that the Department was right up against it and, although criticism came afterwards, they gave him much valuable help. The Department now was splendidly organised into divisions. It was a live, department. He was no advertiser, but. he knw how highly it was thought of by the Ministry of Health at Home and by health departments in foreign countries They realised that what it had done was not in vain. At a con-, ference in Paris in May very kindly tilings were said of New Zealand’s Health Department. Dr Valinti'ne concluded: “ I do not know how long 1 will be in the position. T still have good health and am not very anxious to retire. But at the end of my time, I will not stand in the way of such an excellent officer as Dr Watt. This may be my last opportunity to thank the inspectors of the department and of local bodies for their efficient and loyal services, not only to the bodies that employ them, but also to the whole Dominion.” When Dr Valintine concluded the inspectors rose and sang “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.”