VACCINATION OF CHILDREN.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 621, 22 November 1913, Page 7

VACCINATION OF CHILDREN.

LETTER FROM THE MINISTER. The following letter received by Mr C K. Wilson, member for the district, from the Minister of Public Health, concerning the vaccination of children in the backblocka will be of interest in this district:— "With reference to the latter under date 29th October, signed S. Klein, of Moeatoa, asking that some consideration be shown to the writer and a number ofother settlers in Kiritehere Valley in the matter of vaccination, I have to say that on enquiry from the District Health Officer, Auckland, I learn that no specific instructions were issued from that office requiring the children of that district to be vaccinated" It is likely that the "notices to vaccinate children" received by them were notices sent out by the vaccination inspectors, and, as you are aware, it has not been the practice in New Zealand for a long time So exercise compulsion in regard to such notices, nor have I at present any intention of compelling the people concerned to have their children vaccinated. Ido not consider it necessary at present to send a doctor specifically to visit the district for the purposes of vaccination. Should one be in the district later on it will be left to the people themselves to decide wheher they shall accept vaccination or not. — R. Heaton Rhodes, Minister of Public Health."