F.—No. 8.

Dr. Sector, F.B.S. 11th July, 1870.

5. Mr. Kelly.'] By whom, in your opinion, should proceedings be taken against persons failing to have the operation performed ?—I am of opinion that the Registrar of Births should give a list to the police of parents who have not complied with the regulations, and that they should take proceedings. In most cases the collection of certificates would be all they have to do. 6. Do you think that the vaccinators appointed should travel round the country ?—I think that they should. 7. Mr. Collins.] Do you think it desirable that the character of the lymph used should be ascertained ? —Great care should be exercised in taking the lymph from a child's arm. If taken at the proper period I do not think that any taint of any disease can be conveyed by it. Wherever vaccination has been enforced by legislation in other parts of the world, its results have been very satisfactory, and no evil consequences have ensued. 8. What is the objection to taking the vaccine matter from the cow ?—I have had no experience in this, and have always been taught that the system of vaccinating from arm to arm is successful. 9. Mr. Kelly.] In the case of an apparently healthy child on whom vaccination has been successfully performed, but born of parents having symptoms of secondary syphilis, do you think there would be any danger of the syphilitic virus being conveyed to another child if vaccinated from it ?—I do not think so, and besides that a medical man would be careful not to take lymph from an arm on which the mark after vaccination took a syphilitic form. 10. Sir D. Monro.] What is your opinion generally on the subject of compulsory vaccination ? —My opinion is that the parents of children should be compelled to have their children vaccinated, and that certificates of effectual vaccination should be signed within seven months of the performance of the operation, and forwarded to the Registrar, and that he should give to the police or other proper authorities a schedule of such persons as had failed to send in certificates within the time appointed. 11. Mr. Kelly.] Do you think it absolutely necessary that the operation should be performed by a medical practitioner ?—No ; but I think it necessary that the successful performance of the operation should be certified to, and that the lymph should be extracted by a medical man. J. B. Bennett, Esq., in attendance, and examined. 12. Sir D. Monro.] Have you seen the proposed Vaccination Act ?—I have. 13. What are your views as regards this Act ?—lt has been carefully prepared, and could its provisions be carried out throughout the Colony would answer every purpose. But I doubt whether the details of it could be effectually carried out in the remote country districts. 14. Can you make any suggestions ?—I should propose, if it were not for the difficulty of the expenditure which it would involve, that medical officers be appointed to go round the country for the purpose of vaccinating children, and of ascertaining the success of such vaccination. It would very probably be found difficult to get parents to bring children considerable distances, and more than once, to the Public Vaccinator. There is, in many instances, difficulty even in getting them to come to the Registrar for the purpose of having the births of their children registered. It would not be necessary that the Vaccinator should go round from house to house in towns and thickly-populated districts. 15. What is the proportion of children at present vaccinated?—l am not able to say. The proportion would probably have been shown to be large if the Act of 1863 had been fully carried out. But returns of successful vaccinations as required under this Act were very defective. 16. What is your opinion of clause 10 in the proposed Act ?—I should prefer not having anything to say on the medical part of the subject. 17. Can you give any information as regards the Maoris ?—I cannot. 18. Mr. Kelly.] Could it not be made the duty of the Vaccinator instead of the duty of the parents to send in certificates of the proper performance of the operations ?—The certificate is, by the proposed Act, to be filled up by the Vaccinator. The parents merely forward it. 19. What proportion do you think of the births which occur are registered?—A very large proportion; and I believe that the number unregistered is diminishing every year. 20 Sir. D. Monro.] How do you think it would do to make the production of the certificate of having been vaccinated a necessary condition of any one obtaining employment in the public service ?—I do not sec any objection to this. There would be a question, however, as to making such a requirement retrospective. Dr. Grace in attendance, and examined. 21. Sir D. Monro.] You have been in practice in Wellington for some time, I believe?— I have practised in various parts of the country for the last nine years. 22. Would you state to the Committee your views on the subject of compulsory vaccination ?—Let all Public Vaccinators be Vaccination Inspectors. Let every doctor in every country district be a Public Vaccinator. Pay him for each case vaccinated at least five shillings. Let such Public Vaccinator in his capacity of Vaccination Inspector be empowered to inspect all children who may have been vaccinated by unskilled persons, and let him receive five shillings for each such certificate. Let each Provincial Surgeon be a Public Vaccinator, and let

■J. S. Bennett, Esq. 11th July, 1870.

Dr. Grace. 11th July, 1870.

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