MEDICAL SERVICES

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20265, 6 August 1937, Page 8

MEDICAL SERVICES

TASMANIAN SCHEME. DOCTORS FOR REMOTE AREAS. MINISTERS AT AUCKLAND. (By Telegraph. —Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Friday. A State luncheon t\%s tendered today to the Hon. A. G. Ogilvie, Premier of Tasmania, and Dr. J. F. Gaha, Minister of Health and senior surgeon at Hobart Hospital, who are returning by the Monterey after the Coronation. The Minister of Health and Education, the Hon. P. Fraser, arrived in Auckland this morning to represent the Government as host. Interviewed, Mr Ogilvie said the British Medical Association did not look altogether with favour on his Government's scheme for the appointment of State medical officers In remote country districts. “We are making a start in January with ten medical officers, who will be civil servant?,” said Mr Ogilvie. “ If we cannot obtain the men we re-

quire in Australia we will try In England. If we fail there we will have no hesitation in appointing German doctors who have been exiled because of Herr Hitler’s anti-semitiso campaign. Many of these professional men have exceedingly high qualifications and some brilliant careers.” He added that despite the opposition shown by the 'British Medical Association and a section of the press the Government had gone steadily forward and taken no notice of criticism. It had received rnany applications from English doctors and he was confident they would have no difficulty in making appointments. If the scheme, were successful it was likely it would be extended to embrace the whole State. “The time has arrived for intensive public health activity in all parts of the world,” said Dr. Gaha, interviewed. “There are indications that in future a large proportion of money now spent on health will be spent on the prevention of disease. Australia and New Zealand 'have facilities to develop the best medical service in the world.’* The city editor ol the Times considers the scheme a reasonable solution of a complicated problem.