SCHOOL CHILDREN.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10273, 28 June 1911, Page 5

SCHOOL CHILDREN.

QUESTION OF MEDICAL INSPECTION. ADDS ESS BY THE HON. G. FOWLDS. (By Telpgraph—Frf>ss Association.) Wellington, Last Night. The question of the medical inspection of school children was referred to by the Hon. G. Fowlds in an address read at the Hospital Conference today. Although the necessity for such inspection ia not, the Minister said, ?o acute as in the Old Land, the reports of medical officers show that some 30 per cent of the children attending State schools need some form or other of medical attendance. If advantage was; taken of existing machinery, legislative and otherwise, medical inspection' of school children could be put into operation for some £15,000. That would mean that half that sum would come out of the ratepayers' pocket. Against this, however, must be Fet the expenditure saved in preventing disease. It was, however, not only a question of pounds, shillings and pence. Our duty was clear. A scheme that must make for the physicial efficiency of the community must sooner or later be taken in hand. Details of the proposed scheme would be outlined later by the Inspector-General of Hospitals.