THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, MARCH 22, 1920. PUBLIC HEALTH.

Wairarapa Age, 22 March 1920, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, MARCH 22, 1920. PUBLIC HEALTH.

An important reorganisation of the Public Health Department in NewZealand is at present in progress. It will be of considerable interest, if not of immediato advantage to the taxpayers of the Dominion. Referring to the subject the Journal of Public Health says: —"At the present time the reorganisation possible lies in the direction of increasing the number of health districts from four to eight, but later it is intended to seek legislative authority to permit of an internal rearrangement of responsibility. It is ultimately proposed to make more distinction between the work respecting hospitals and charit able aid and that concerning public health by the creation of two branches under one responsible officer. To ensure this it is the intention to recommend that the combined. position at present held by the Inspector-General of Hospitals and Chief Health Officer -be changed to-that of Director-General of Public Health, who will have associated with him a deputy-director-generul, under whom the two main branches of the Department shall operate. These in turn will be controlled by responsible officers whose respective titles will be Inspector of Hospitals and Director of Public Health. Dr. Wylie, who has been appointed Inspector of Hospitals, isi one of the best known of the medical men of the Dominion. Ho had considerable war experience, serving in various capacities from May, 1915, until August, 191 S. Since then ho has developed first the Chalmers Military Hospital at Christchurch, then the Military Hospital at Trentham. The duties of: Dr. Wylie with the Department will be to relievo the InspectorGeneral aEd his deputy of the general inspection of. hospitals from the clinical aspect of the Department's activities in all branches of medicine other than the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. The appointment of an Aassistant Chief Health Officer is intended to strengthen the public health side of the Department's administration. This latter position has been filled by the j promotion of Dr. M. H. Watt, at present District Health Officer, Wellington. Dr. Watt is an M.D. of the University of.New Zealand. In 1910 he obtained the Travelling Medical Scholarship of that University. following year he undertook a course of post-graduate study in English hospitals, also passing the examination for the diploma of M.R.C.S. (Eng.), L.K.C.P. (Lond.). To avoid confusion it is proposed' at a later date, when the legislative power is to alter the titles of the Chief Health Officer and " Inspector-GAneral of Hospitals (Dr. Valintine) and of his deputy (Dr. Frengley) to DirectorGeneral of Public Health and Deputy Director-General respectively."