PUBLIC OPINION

Rotorua Morning Post, 29 August 1931, Page 4

PUBLIC OPINION

ctXIl j tJLA>»7 A. G.

SALISBURY.

CECIL H.

CLINKARD.

E.D.

THOS. F.

JOLLY

The "Post" at ail times welcomes correspondence from its readers, It must, however, be clearly ujiderstood that we accept no responsibility for the views expressed by our correspondents. Sir, — We are hearing a lot lately about tfcss buge cost of education. If we must spend four million a ycar- on the above, We have at least a right to expect that the country districts get a, fair proportion -of the money spent on school dental service.Since running a free dental clinic for some months . I am in a position to testify as to the appalling eondition of the mouths .of children coming under. my notice. I niay explain that my treatment has been for the relief of pain and nothing elssi. We have medical inspectors at a great expense to the country visiting our 'schools and reporting on the health* of the children. I would ask what is the good of spending money in their direction when there is no hope in the wide world of the treatment being carriec out? Take a typical case: Tommy Jones presents himself for medical inspection," and his parento, wh*o are quitc unable to pay for it are notified that he has d:fective teeth, a fact that the poor kid himself in painfully aware of, h*e also needs medical treatment for tonsiis, also. other disorders. drising primarily from dental disability. . From my observation these remarkr or similar ones would apply to about 40 per cent. of those examined. Our protests to the powers that be about the way Rotorua is neglected seem so far to have fallen upon deaf ears We are told that the Government ha.*, not the money to extend the schemc any further -at present, etc. I shall try and put'.the matter ir, a way that will be readily grasped The treatment of children's teeth could be considered in a sort of general way under . the headings: (1) Relief of actual pain, whicb consists of extraction, soothing, drassing, etc. (2) Treatment of septic conditionr of the mouth by removing abcessed teeth and simple cement ffillings with the object of prcventing decay and generally getting the mouth into a healthy condition. (3) Extensive isilver lillings witb the object of restoring the masticating surface. I may state that having examined a number of the children cared for by the city clinics, that there is excellent work being done, but a great proportion of it would have to be classed under No. 3 on my list. This would be all right if the country districts and Rotorua in particular were getting a fair proportion jf the. treatment Tyhich they certainly are not. I would auggdst that there are plenty of trained dental nurses to deal with the dental needs of the children if the more elaborate treatment were cut out. Let a proportion of these trained nurses be allocated to travel rouno and visit the country schools in rotation, working in conjunction with the medical inspectors, let them, for the time being at least, attend to the crying needs of the children, leaving the more advanced work alone. I think I am right in saying that this would save the country a huge economic waste, in enabling the treatment recommended by the medical inspectors to be carried out, and reducing the cost of ^education by raising the efficiency of the children by at least 25 per cent. Trusting that you will give this matter publicity in your columns. 1

ELECTION POSTPONEMENT. Sir, — I presume my wire to you though lengthy was not sufficiently explicit. I admit no indiscretion in saying that if the parties now in conference agree upon a common policy, which it is to be hoped they will, there would then be no clear issue on which to go to thes country; but if they fp.il to do so then the responsibility will he with those who refuse to subordinate individual or sectional interest for the common good and there will be every ground for a contect. At the present juncture I would not like to take the platform as I still hope for an agreement. Naturally the time limit would depend on the agreement. I do not believe in long Parliaments and would only agree to an extension under the above conditions. I enclose a clipping from the "Dominion" which supports my opint rvn

The clipping which Mr Clinkard forwards is an official message- from London as f ollows: — "One immediate result 0 f the. formation of the National Government is that there will he a political truce between the Conservatives and Liberals for the next few months. "The first sign of this is contained in the announcement that the Liberal candidate has retired from the contests ifi the by-election now pending at Guilford. As the Labour candidate had' already withdrawn, the Conservative will probably he elected unopposed (A cable message confirms this, Mr C. R. Hyse, the Conservative candidate, being elected without opposition.)" It will he noted however, that recent messages from Londdn indicate that Mr Ramsay MacDonald is not anticipating any postponement of the British General Election, but expects that the new policy will have to be submitted to the electors, as soon as possible. , „

"Morning Jfosx.

COALITION PROPOALS. Sir, Your correspondent "Country First" apparently does not understand the difference between what Mr Forbes proposed to Mr Coates and the formation of a "National Govefnment." A National Government (such as existed during the War) is a coalition.of parties, the associated parties continuing to pr'eserve their separate identities. What Mr Forbes proposed was something entirely different — viz., . the dishanding of the Reform Party and the United Party with a view to the .formation _ o± a new party to be known as a National or "Nationalist" Party. This distinct-

ion should he perfectly clear.— I am, reformer. Hataitai, Wellington.

Dear Sir, — It was with great interest I read in your Thursday's issue that the Rotorua High School is endeavouring to initiate a scheme to introduce an agricultural course into its curriculum. It certainly seems a great pity that more schemes of this description were not adopted in the country years ago. While there has been enormous expenditure in this country on education, there is no doubt that one of the principal subjects has been sadly neglected, viz., agriculture. There are thousands of lads in the country who with all their education do not know tlie first thing about agriculture, and their parents do not know what to do with them. It is a blot on our educational system that agriculture has been so neglected^ and if the. existing depression continues and boys cannot obtain profession and other white collar jobs, they will have to turn to the noblest of them allagriculture. It behoves everyone interested to try to further this movement and back up the High School Board of Governors in their efforts. Remember there are only approximately; 50,000 exporting farmers m the country and the unemployed with their dependants are far more than that number. Trusting the scheme will eventuate at an early date. I otv» of P

District Area Officer, N.2. Farmers' Union.