COOK ISLANDS

Hokitika Guardian, 5 March 1931, Page 7

COOK ISLANDS

CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER. DR. E. P. ELLISON. Tn the course of a week or n little longer the Director of the Maori Hygiene Division, Dr. E. P. Ellison, will relinquish his present position, and proceed to the Cook Islands to become Chief Medie.nl Officer in the group with quarters at Rarotonga. No inimediate successor will he appointed but it is undersood that the Director of the Public Hygiene Division, Dr. T. McKibbin, in addition to Ids presold duties, will act nsthc- administrative head of the Maori Hygiene Division. The control of Maori health matters will also come more directly under tin supervision of district medical officers of health. For some little time past in fact, the trend has been in that direction, and of late they have takeran increasing active part in watching over the, health of the Maori race. It is believed, however, that the mail consideration behind Dr. Ellison’s transfer i s that of economy, not onh in the Health Department but also in the Cook Islands Department. Or the one hand there will be the saving ill expenditure so far as the Health Department is concerned, while lib transfer to Rarotonga is understood tc involve a much more economical arrangement of the Islands medical ser vice than that at present in force. Successor to Dr. Peter Buck. Tn taking over the office of Chief Medical Officer at Rarotonga Dr. Ellison is resuming the post he occupiec when he was appointed Director oi the Maori Hygiene Division in succession to Dr. Peter H. Buck, win resigned the position to become anth ropologist to the Bishop Museum a 1 ’ Honolulu. Dr. Ellison leaves behim him a smooth-running division, whil he has also prepared a sound scheiir of, activity for the department to to) low in earing for the health of th Maori people. When Dr. Ellison came to the department just over three years ago h' set himself the task of collecting dots and figures relating to Maori health His long research and study have en allied him to prepare graphs showing the diseases to which the Maori imost susceptible. These show when the race needs education and care t/ reduce its mortality rate to the European level. A Notable Career. Dr. Edward Pohau Ellison took up his duties as Director of tile Maori Hy gleiie Division on August i, 1927. Bon lit Portoliello, Dunedin, about 43 yean ago, lie took his medical degrees a< the Otago University. For four year: Pt\ Ellison was medical officer at Niue where his work received high common dntion from the authorities. In passing, it might be mentioned that Dr Ellison has only just returned to Wei lington after a month’s relieving med icnl work at Niue. Skill as a medien’ practitioner and full sympathies witl his own people have combined to secur. for him the complete confidence and trust of the native race. On two or three occasions during hiservice in the Tslhnds Dr. Ellison* has acted as Resident Commissioner foi quite long terms, and the duties asso ei.nted with that office w°re discharged with distinction and dignity. Upon his return to New Zealand on leave several years ago, prior to proceeding to Rarotonga to assume the duties o' medical officer in the Cook group. Dr Ellison acceded to the reo.uest of th r Health Department to take up the position of Resident Officer fo r the Chatham Islands. About a year later in accordance with an arrangement entered into between the Cook IslandAdministration and the Health Department, lie underwent a refresher course at Otago University, and left ■Wellington at the beginning 0 f 1926 tc tiilce up the position of Chief Medien’ Officer in the Cook group, with headquarters at Rarotonga. During fiesta, y there he twice made tours to the Lower and Northern Cook Islands and as n result of these investigations furnished to the Administration what is regarded ns a most valuable work to the health and general condition of the people in each of the isolated islands.