DENTAL CLINIC

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 249, 18 September 1940, Page 5

DENTAL CLINIC

ANNUAL MEETING

t The annual meeting of the Feilding r and District Schools’ Dental Clinic 5 Committee was held last evening, Mr , G. J. Fitzpatrick presiding . in the . absence of the chairman (Mr F. P. • Fawcett), who is on active service. ; Also present were Mrs S. McDowall :i (Manchester Street), Messrs C. 0. t Allerby, E. R. Vickers (Colyton), C. V. e Jewell (Lytton Street), S. H. Morris, 1 A. White (Kopane), A. Eggleton (Bunb nythorpe), A. J.. Lobb and N. Merritt - (Mt. Biggs). i The chairman stated that the re- - ceipts over the past two years - amounted to £294 5s lid. The clinic , at April 30, 1940. had a credit balance a of £92 os 3d. There were now two ; dqntal nurses employed at the clinic, ' and Apiti School and Feilding Convent • School children were receiving troats meat. The number of children on the , dental roll was 750, whereas 1100 child- ; ren were entitled to treatment. Some >jschools had not availed themselves to 1 the full of the service. All children ■ up to Standard 5 were now .eligible for ■ treatment. The committee had to dc--3 cide whether it would agree to having " the two nurses permanently employed ‘ at the clinic, and the chairman pointed ‘ out that one nurse could deal with 400 s to 500 children in a year. In future, r therefore, the clinic' would retain two 3 nurses. , 3 Referring to the negotiations for a 1 new building in Stafford Street, Mr P Fitzpatrick said that the section of '■ land had' been purchased and dedicated r to the Crown. It was understood that ° the.building would cost £SOO, of which amount the Health Denartment would ‘ find two-thirds. Since, however, it had .• been found that the building would ,7 cost £9OO, and that the Education ’ Department was the department which would find the major portion of the cost. Advice had been received from 5 the Education Department that it was " not prepared to pay a subsidy on the new building, and therefore it was unlikely that the building would be _ erected until after the war. Mr Eggleton stated that there had been complaints at Bunnythorpe regarding the clinic. In some instances , the parent had received a notice to take one child to the clinic while a - week later another notice was received in respect of a second child. This meant that the parent had to pay | two bus fares. He suggested that when the country children’s teeth were examined the nurse should arrange for all children in one family to be treated on the same day. It was decided that a recommendation along the lines suggested by-Mr Eggleton bo made. Mr White mentioned that in the Kopane area parents had received notices to bring their children to the o clinic, but when they had done so they - had found that their children were not wanted. The chairman said there must be some explanation, and he suggested that if parents had experienced any I trouble they should advise the chair-1 man or the secretary, who could inves-| a tigate the cause. a It was stated that the subscription ' fee of 2s 6d per child wa6 the lowest II in New Zealand, and as the clinic in Feilding was in a strong financial position the chairman did not wish any increase to be made for the next five I [ years. He mentioned that the average I child received £2 worth of dental treatment in a year, and lie was satis-j fied that the complaints were • negligible in comparison with the large I number of children treated. i It was decided that the subscription fee remain at 2s 6d, and that the Education Department be informed that Feilding was prepared to take two nurses permanently at the clinic. Sympathy with Lieutenant Fawcett and Mrs Fawcett in their anxiety in connection with their son, who has been posted missing in the It.A.F., was expressed.. The following officers were elected: —President, Air Fitzpatrick; committee, Alesdames S. McDowall and P. G. r ‘uy .'MauAiest.or Street). Messrs C. V. Jewell (Lytton Street), A. Eggleton (Bunnythorpe), A. J. Boon (Mt. Biggs), and E. R. Vickers (Colyton). Mr J. Campbell was reelected auditor. A useful hint was given by Mr. Eggleton, who suggested that draughts under doors could be remedied by placing a strip of sheepskin under tlie door. At Bunnythorpe this inexpensive device had proved most successful.