SERIOUS DISEASES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 160, 8 July 1922, Page 11

SERIOUS DISEASES.

THE NOTIFICATION QUESTION.

U*y Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Friday.

The Minister of Health was asked by Dr. Xhacker to-day if he will this session introduce legislation to deal effectively with tuberculosis and venereal diseases.

The Hon. C. J. l'arr, in reply, said there was no intention at present to introduce any amendment to the Public Health Act, which was the most complete legislation of its kind in the world, giving ample power to deal with tuberculosis. As for venereal disease, there was a Social Hygiene Act on the Statute Book, but whether there should be compulsory notification of people suffering from this disease was a very moot point on which there was considerable difference of opinion. A great many women's societies had taken the matter up, and they were divided on it. Under these circumstances he felt that in the last session of Parliament he could not take the responsibility of introducing a bill which would cause a long discussion and a great deal of agitation and lobbying, therefore he had asked the Board of Health to set. up a committee which would co-operate with outside members, including women, and investigate the disease to ascertain if it was so prevalent as was suggested, and he hoped to suggest some remedy.

Dr. Thacker: I suggest that dangerout consumptives should be confined to suitable hospitals.

Mr. Parr: To restrict the liberty of anyone is a serious proposition, and to take hold of a consumptive and say he is in such a state of health that he must stay in hospital for six months or possibly ten years is too serious a matter on which to take action without advice. "I have referred it to the Health Department to consider the question of restricting consumptives who might be considered daneerous to the public health," concluded the Minister.