DISTRICT OFFICES

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 1, 1 July 1935, Page 16

DISTRICT OFFICES

HEALTH DEPARTMENT

SERVING RURAL AREAS

(By Telegraph—i'ress Association.)

HAMILTON, This, Day.

Important changes in the administration of the Health Department in the Waikato were announced by the Hon. Sir Alexander Young, Minister of Health, yesterday. He stated that following the success of a similar scheme in other districts it had been decided to establish a District Health Office at Hamilton under the direction of Colonel F. W. W. Dawson, of Christchurch.

Sir Alexander stated that for a few years past lie had felt that in large rural areas, more particularly those carrying a large Maori population, the method of health and hygiene administration could be improved upon from aspects of efficiency and service to the population concerned. As an experiment the change was adopted in the East Coast-Poverty Bay district. It had worked very effectively, and had fully met his anticipations, with the result that similar schemes were introduced in the Taranalu and North Auckland districts.

The principle had been to select a suitable area, and place it under the control of a medical officer, who, together with staff inspectors and nurses, undertook within the area the whole of the public health functions of the Department. The system had the merit of bringing the unit of control nearer to the homes of the people concerned, and ensured more direct and continuous personal contact.