EPIDEMIC COMMISSION.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 March 1919, Page 5

EPIDEMIC COMMISSION.

REPLY BY HEALTH MINISTER. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington. Last Night. Members of the Epidemic Commission spent the morning inspecting some of the more congested parts of the city, lu the afternoon they sat again to hear evidence. Li\ Faulke said lie would not accept the statement that the disease of- the serious epidemic was the same as we had with us for many years- He considered the cause of the high death rate wns crowding and bad ventilation. He did not t-hink the full extent of the mortality from disease was yet known, and there would be other deaths from post epidemic contraction of phthisis.

Hon. Russell appeared before the commission with a statement. Replying to Dr- Macgil!, he said the object in public health had been a.} far as possible 1o throw the responsibility upon the people themselves through local authorities. It wan not the policy of this or any Government to take away from the functions of city councils and other local bodies, but rather to enlarge those functions, and to employ the Public Health Department as far as possible as an advisory and supervising authority. He took the strongest exception to the statements made regarding the Board of Health. Yerv important responsibilities were laid upon the Beard in connection with insanitary areas in the cities. There had never bec-n any desire or intention on the part of the Minister to interfere with the scientific, experimental or technical sides of the department, except the wi-h to make the l ; ne of demarcation regarding the heads of department and district, health officers between purely scientific and lav work.