The Daily News. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1920. PUBLIC HEALTH.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 September 1920, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1920. PUBLIC HEALTH.

Judging by the summary of the Public Health Bill telegraphed by our Parliamentary reporter, the measure is a distinct advance on all previous efforts to deal with a matter that is of supreme concern to every member of the community. The creation of a Board >'f Public Health, which is to exercise the very wide powers'at present possessed by the chief health officer, is unquestionably a step in the right direction, and the transfer of the supervision over matters of hygiene and sanitation from Hospital Boards to local bodies removes any anomaly that proved most unsatisfactory in the past, especially in the direction of, overlapping and divided authority. The main point on which the success of the new proposals turns is connected with the functions of the Board of Public Health, especially in relation to an emergency that may arise which calls for prompt and effective action, and as the transfer of the large powers at present possessed by the chief health officer to the board is due to the fact that the Government consider the powers which are necessary for the protection of the public health in cases of emergency would be better exercised by a board, rather than by individuals, it is apparent that the new Board of Health must possess the confidence of the public and the medical profession. The question at once arises whether it is advisable that the chief health officer, who is to be Director-General of Health, should be a member of the board or merely the adyiser-in-; chief to that body- There is far more this point than: appears on the surface, especially if friction is/to be avoided. Under,any circumstances the position of chief health officer will not, under the new conditions, be without its share of thorns, but it is conceiv-, able that as an expert adviser who would be present at meetings of the Board, yet not being a member, his position would be I more in accord with administrative principles and more likely to be productive of satisfactory results. In view of the new conditions connected with the constitution of the Board of Health, the question arises whether the time has arrived when the best interests of the public would be served by obtaining the services of the most able expert in modem hygiene and sanitation to fill the position of chief health officer, so that he would fit into the new arrangements. This suggestion in ho way reflects on the ability of the present holder of the position, but is put forward as a matter of policy deserving consideration. That the new board shall be essentially a practical body is evident from its constitution. Apart from the chief health officer, there is to be a representative of the Department of Internal Affairs, a medical practitioner in the service of the Government, another nominated by the Medical Association, a member of the Faculty of Medicine at Otago University, a representative of the Municipal Assotli&Ms&j| ilfttesentative of th<s

Counties' Association, a civil engineer, a chairman of a hospital board, and a Government, nominee. .This selection will furnish four medical authorities, two Government nominees, three representatives of public bodies, and an engineer, so that one half of the board will be laymen and the remainder medical men. It maybe found by experience that the proposed representation can be improved upon, but a judicious selection has been made, except as to Government representation, which might advantageously be reduced to two, and another seat given to local bodies, to whom the care of the health of the people is to" be transferred. It is satisfactory to find that wide powers are to be given for the demolition of insanitary dwellings and in relation to infections and notifiable diseases. The Bill is one that should receive the earnest consideration of all interested in public health.