THE HEALTH ACT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 222, 31 December 1910, Page 3

THE HEALTH ACT

CONFERENCE OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES.

A conference of representatives of local bodies contributing to the Taranaki Hospital and Charitable Aid Board wes held at the Town Hall, NV.v Plymouth, yesterday morning, to consider the proposal for waiving certain duties under the Public Health Act, ami to hear Dr. Valintine's explanation of the Act. There were present:—His Worship, the Mayor (Mr. G. Tisch), and Councillors Dockrill, Gilbert, and Mannix (New Plymouth -Borough); Messrs. C. Carter (Taranaki County); Tarplee (Inglewood Borough Council); W. J. Foreman (Clifton County Council); J. Rattenbury (Waitara Borough Council); ana Cutfield (Fitzroy Town District). There were also present Messrs. F. C. Bellringer (chairman of the Hospital ana Charitable Aid Board), C. M. Lepper secretary), and F, B. Gardiner (district health officer). His Worship the' Mayor was elected chairman, and in opening the proceedings, said that whilst the provisions j of the Act might be admissible so far |as many local bodies were concerned, : the New Plymouth Borough Council had considered the matter, and had come to the conclusion that they could not do better than continue as they were now, The, council was fortunate in, having an engineer—Mr. Kendall—who had had a great deal of experience in. sanitary matters, having been previously an official of the Health Department, and further, if they handed over their, powers to the hospital board,the inspector to bo appointed might not make New Plymouth his headquarters, whilst under the existing- conditions there was a thoroughly qualified man tesiding here.

Dr. ..Valintine explained that the object of the particular clause of "the Act ' which they had Under consideration was that the hospital boards, which were responsible for the treatment of the: sick, should also be responsible for all those, influences likely to cause sickness. This principle, he thought, was generally admitted; in fact he had interviewed a great "'many local .authorities and, hospital • urds throughout the Dominion and ar.vst without exception the principle o: section 83 was admitted. Since his circular letter was sent out tolocal bodies some weeks ago, there had been several amendments to the Health Act, and it was' now ordained that as regards infectious .diseases the hospital, board. Was the local authority of the district. Therefore the control of infectious disease had been taken "away, by law from the local authorities, ana fell upon the hospital board. The hospital boards now being responsible, they would appoint officers who would keep them in touch with' 'everything., that was going on regarding health matters andinsaniitary premises, and s<> cm. In the past the hospital boards had had. to provide the" expense in dealing with cases, of infectious disease, but had had no say whatever regarding the influences which caused the disease, though it was. perfectly obvious it was due to certain insanitary •;; conditions .or to neglect of. householders": or local authorities in disinfecting; . It was wrong to' suppose the proposal was going to cost a great deal of money. Assuming that the" salary and -travelling expenses "Of the officers . appointed in this district, amounted at, the very outside to £250, £125 of that sum would be collected from the local bodies within the hospital district, and the remaining £125 would be paid by Government as subsidy. Furiher, he did no : t "propose that the officers' duties should be confined entirely to' infectious diseases; they could act in an official capacity for the 1 board' in other matters. They could inquire into the circumstances of people who asked for charitable relief, although so. far as Tarahaki was concerned, owing to the energy of the secretary, the board was familiar with various cases,..but speaking generally, very, little was known of the position, of these applicants. This could very'well be done by .the officer in the course of his travels aroundthe district. He would naturally keep in touch with the secretary, and perhaps his office would also'be at the boara's office. As far as this district was concerned it would be absolutely essential that the inspector's offices should t be in New Plymouth., So far as the position of the. New Plymouth Borough. Council was concerned he' admitted that the provisions o* the Public Health Act had been well carried out under Mr. Kendall. He was.a thorough-: ly competent officer, and he did not suggest* that the New Plymouth Borough waive any responsibility under the Public Health Act other than those already ordained by law, and which related to infectious disease. But on the other hand, there were local authorities which had made very little provision in this direction, and no matter what was done in one district, unless they were equally careful in the adjoining districts they could not effectually check the spread of infectious disease. He would also suggest that the officer should also be appointed an inspector under the Sale of Food and Drugs Act. By this means they would have an officer on the spot to. protect the interests of the boroughs as regards food supplies. Whilst he did not propose that the New Plymouth Borough should waive the whole of its responsibilities imder the Public Health Act he considered it would be to the advantage of the Boroughs of Waitara and Inglewood to pay a little additional levy, so that they should have the advantage of the services of this officer for other purposes than the control ol infectious disease. Mr.,. Foreman said the matter had been before his council, but they had not come to anv definite decision, for the simple rea?nn that they did not know what it was going to cost, although he believed the feeling of the council was —and it wns certainly his own—that the hospital board was the proper auI thority to control all matters connected with fhe health of.the district.

Dr. Valintine said he was glad to see Mr. Foreman approved of the principle, and so far as his own particular district was concerned, he thought £2O a year would cover everything. He did not think this could he regarded as an exorbitant sum.

During "a discussion, Dr. Valintine said his ambition was to see the hospitals of the Dominion run effieientff and ecoomically, and there was no country where there was better machinery provided for the sick and needy than was provided in New Zealand. He admitted that it came very hard on people in the back-blocks having to contribute towards the maintenance of institutions which were practically out of their reach, and hoped this would be remedied to a very great extent, and that the back-blocks settlers would feel that their interests were being looked after more than they had been in the past. This could be done by a system of district nursing. It would be a great advantage to all concerned. It. would not only relieve the demand on the hospitals, but impress the people in the back-blocks that they were getting something in return fori what they were paying to the hospitals.] The cost last year for the Dominion was. £230,000, and without in any way starv-. ing the institutions he was looking for a saving of £30,000, which sum would pay for a complete system of difcttfst

After further discussion it was resolved, on thi) motion of Mr. Carter, seconded by Mr. Foreman, '"That owing to the amendment of -the Hospital anJ Charitable Aid Act placing under the control of "'the hospital boards all infectious diseases, this Meeting recommends to the favorable consideration of all .boroughs and local authorities in the hospital area that they avail themselves of the services of the inspector to be appointed in connection with sanitary matters, thus reducing the cost of administration."

A hearty vote of thanks .was .accorded Dr. and- a .similar compliment ffi the'meeting.