CHILDREN’S TEETH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2114, 13 April 1920, Page 2

CHILDREN’S TEETH.

APPLICATION FOR FREE TREATMENT. A mailer of importance in connection with (he treatment of school children found to be suffering from dental or minor nasal and thrmi; complaints was brought up at a meeting of the Miamiwatu School Committees’ Association at Palmerston on Friday. A letter was received (Tom the Terrace End School Committee, staling that when children were reported to be suffering from some ailment the parents bad to pay the usual professional fees lo have the sufferers tit tended to. In many cases the parents could not afford to do N~i7r~TilTd-4he counniltee asked that the matter should he brought under the notice of Hie Minister.

“The pucsj ion of don Ini ullent ion in school children is one liml has itocn taken np by the local Hospital Board, and they arc of opinion that some arrangement should be made whereby the children could receive treatment free,” said the chairman (Mr ■]. A. Nash, M.P.). Coni inning, the chairman said that where the breadwinner of a family was receiving only a small wage it was proposed by the Hospital .Board to give the attention itself. The Minister was prepared to subsidise the Board in a manner to give it nothing to complain of, but a diflicully arose as to the attention of children in unliving schools, such as Foxlon, Feilding. Shannon, and all other smaller ones, it was then suggested that a dentist should be appointed to travel, the district - , but, however, nothing further was done. The matter was taken up in the House last session by a number of. members, but, as it was the last session of iliaL Parliament, very little was dime. The chairman went on'to say that he fully expected something definite would emanate from the House this session it the matter was not taken np by the Minister in the meantime. >

It was impossible, continued Mi Nash, with the present high cost of living for a man receiving; 14s a day to paV professional fees for attention to his children's teeth, yet from a health point of view the attention might be absolutely imperative. At a conference of representatives of primary schools held in Wellington last year it was moved by Mr Hornblow, of Foxlon, and seconded by Mr H. C. Le Grange( College Street School), that: arrangements should lie made for free dental treatment to bo given to the children of parents not receiving more than £4 a week. This was moved as a recommendation to the Government, but it could not have been expected that on the eve of an election anything would have been done. The chairman then suggested that the Terrace End School Committee should be thanked for having brought the matter to light, and that a muliort should be passed to ask the'Minister if anv action was to be taken.

Mr H. C. Le Ggange moved in the direction indicated, and suggested that the motion should be sent through the executive of the School Committees’ Association, and that the Minister should he urged to give effect to if: as soon as possible. ; He also mentioned that a decision should be arrived at, at the same time, as to who should bear the travelling expenses of ..children from outlying schools requiring treatment. Mr Hornblow seconded Hie motion, He stressed the importance of having children’s teeth attended to, and added that, it was a matter that concerned everyone who had the welfare of children at heart, The

practice of the medical .inspectors was to issue a hard to each child requiring' treatment,- and it had boon reported Unity on subsequent -visits to schools, the inspectors bad found that in the great majority of eases the treatment recommended had not been carried out. The first move for denial treatment, he said, came fronr Palmerston North, when Mr Nash and he hadPvaited upon the Hon. ft. \V. .-Russel!, Minister for Public Health at that: time, with a view to having measures taken to make it compulsory for the Slate to give attention to the children's teeth. The Minister decided to subsidise (he .Hospital Boards by. 75 per cent, for the treatment necessary. Mr Hornblow then reiterated (he facts narrated I)v Mr Nash as to the subsequent diiiieulties set up by outside schools.

Mr !?. Stewart (Tokonm.ru) mentioned that lie had heard a speaker -ay that the medical inspectors had made “subsequent visit.-” to certain schools, whereas only one visit 01. not more than two hours duration had been made to Tokomavn over two vears ago.

The chairman replied that if such was the ease an authentic report of the facts should be obtained and submit led to the Association, in order that (he grievance could he ventilated. This the delegate agreed to do.

Mr Le Grange's motion was (lion put to tluv meeting and carried nnanimouslv. —Standard. '