CANCER RESEARCH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 August 1938, Page 5

CANCER RESEARCH

WORK OF THE CAMPAIGN SOCIETY DEFINITE RESULTS SEEN NEW ZEALAND BRANCH ANNUAL MEETING (By Telegraph—Press Association;) CHRISTCHURCH, August 30. The work of the New Zealand branch of the British Empire Cancer Campaign Society was briefly reviewed at the ninth annual meeting held at the City Council Chambers today. Sir James Elliott, Wellington, presided. Delegates representing the four divisions of the society in New Zealand were welcomed by the president and by the mayor of Christchurch, Mr R. M. Macfarlane. Sir James Elliott, in presenting the report, said that the society was distinctive in that it achieved a happy combination of Government through (h'p Health Department, hospital cotards, the medical profession, and the general public in a common attack upon the disease of cancer. The public would no doubt be very gratified- to learn that the society could see, after nine years, a very definite improvement in the results of treatment given. It encouraged the society to believe that it would as time went on, get even better results. It was generally agreed that cancer, taken in its early stages, was curable, and this was why the society wished to educate members of the public to take advice when they thought all was not well with them. For about eight years there had been cancer clinics established at which doctors gave their services free. At the moment there were 2640 cases under observation. One of the first of the' society’s research activities was inaugurated in Dunedin ' with the co-operation -of Otago Medical School, Dr A. M. Begg, the society’s investigator there; and his competent assistant were on their way to Britain. and Europe -to visit .cancer laboratories, and ■he trusted tney would achieve valuable contact with work being done overseas. .In Christchurch valuable radiological research work was being done by Mr J. A. Strong, under the supervision of Professor F. W. G. White, Canterbury University College authorities and the North Canterbury Hospital Board having given great assistance in the establishment of the laboratory. Statistical research was being undertaken at Auckland at the university college. The society would be in need of money for all of -its activities. He paid a further tribute to the generosity of the late Mr W. H. Travis, Christchurch, whose, handsome bequest had made so much valuable work possible. Sir Louis Barnett, Dunedin, seconded the chairman’s motion for the adoption of the report. He said that the society, through its various divisions, controlled approximately £84,000, and the people owed thanks to those officers who undertook the responsibility of managing- it. The chairman reported that the tenth Australian-New Zealand Cancer Conference would be held iii Wellington from February 14 to February 18 of next year. This would be the first time the conference had been held in New Zealand.

On the motion of Sir Louis Barnett, seconded by Sir Hugh- Acland, Sir James Elliott was re-elected chairman. He has held this office since the inception of the society. Sir Louis Barnett and Sir Hugh Acland were re-elected vice-presidents and the finance committee, consisting of Sir James Elliott, Mr A. E. Allison and Dr P. P. Lynch, was also re-elected.