THE EPIDEMIC.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 599, 3 September 1913, Page 2

THE EPIDEMIC.

THE EXCLUSION OF MAORIS

At the meeting of the Waikato Hospital Board last week, Mr Ryburn asked why the Health Department did not look after the exclusion of Maoris from the towns, instead of leaving it to the local bodies. Some discussion followed on this matter, in the cour39 of which the chairman said, any expense they were put to would probably be refunded. Mr Campbell Johnstone agreed with Mr Ryburn that the Health Department had not fulfilled their responsibilities. He complained that when, at Whatawhata, he had volunteered some information to Inspector Bennett the latter had acted in a manner which he (Mr Johnstone) resented very strongly. The inspector had told him that he had nothing to do with him, and altogether acted in an insolent manner. Mr Finch said every member of the board should have authority, else how were they to cope with the trouble. Mr Paterson said the members had a right t') inform Inspector Bennett of What they thought was necessßßry to do, and be would move that the inppector be informed that that body was the Board of Health, and that he must take instructions from any member, especially the chairman and secretary. The Chairman: He could not take them from the members. He would have sixteen bosses. Mr Paterson: I think every member would have the Bame rights Mr Johnstone. Mr Finch: What is a representative for if it is not to represent his district? The chairman said the inspector should be civil at any rate. That was one thing. Dr Kenny said if Inspector Bennett was going to serve the immediate head in Wellington he could not serve other masters as well. If the board were going to assume any authority whatever, it would only lead to friction with the health authorities, and ultimately to confusion. Let them leave the responsibility in the hands of the Health Department. MRybuin: They won't take it. They are handing it over to U5. Dr Kenny: Let them have all or none. Mr Jonatone said he had taken care not to give any instructions, knowing tie was not legally entitled to. But morally he had a right to speak to the inspector. Dr Kenny: If instructions are civen by the chairman and by Dr Valintine, who is he going to obey? The Chairman: Dr Valintine. Mr Johnstnne: I should say he ought to receive all his instructions from the board. He came to this board for extra assistance. Why didn't he go to Dr Valintine? Mr Whittaker said that if communications had to pass between the board and Dr Valintine it would lead to undue delay. A letter from the Hamilton Borough Council, asking the board to take steps for the exclusion of Maoris which had given rise t:> this discussion, was, in the end, formally received. Dr Douglas, in his monthly report, stated that there had been a large number of cases of infectious disease under treatment, including two cases of diphtheria, one of suspected scarlatina, one (a nurse) of mumps, and two eases of small pox. They were all nroeressing favourably. ('in July 12th he went to Taupiri with Inspector Bennett, and on July 18th to Maungatsutari and Matangi, to investigate' the supposed outbreak of small pox, and after seeing_ those eases and his two patients in the iJoiltion hospital lie had been forced to the opinion thai Gic disease was true small pox. The hospital start" was being vaccinated in detachments. He had kept himself closely m touch with Mr Bennett's work oaring this epidemic. lie ha;i been doing \eoman service in visiting inieetoc! areas and insisting on strict isolation of cases. Nurse Wynyard, in charge of the : isolation hospital, had done good nursing work. AH Maori visitors to the hospital had been prohibited. Nine cases of small pox had been admitted daring the month, making a total of eleven treated at the hospital. There