UNFIT MIGRANTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 228, 25 September 1926, Page 14

UNFIT MIGRANTS.

EXAMINATION AT HOME. THE SYSTEM EXPLAINED. REPLY TO MR. WALLACE. ■ (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star. ,, ) WELLINGTON, this day. ''This is a striking example of lack of proper medical examination at Home," said Mr. W. Wallace, chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board recently, when commenting on a chronic "case" which Jiad arrived from ling-land by the Corinthic. To these words Mr. H. D. Thomson, Director of Immigration, has taken strong exception. Not only is the medical examination at Home sufficient, says Mr. Thomson, it is severe. In a recent report the High Commissioner stated that he was quite satisfied that every reasonable precaution was being taken to eliminate chances of unfit persons being granted assisted passages. But he says further that it would be obviously unreasonable to anticipate that amongst thousands of assisted passengers sent out every year there should be no cases at all in which migrants required hospital treatment during their first year in the Dominion. Recently Dr. Bernard Myers, consulting physician to the New Zealand Government, stated that, as the result of a conference arranged by the High Commissioner between the principal medical officers of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, and representatives of the British Medical Association, for the purpose of discussing the best method of obtaining the most complete medical examination of each intending migrant, a scheme was devised which was expected to eliminate the possibility of any migrant being accepted who was not in good health. During the period in which this method. has been followed 2000 medical men examining for the Dominions have in the main performed their duties well. It has, of course, from time to time been necessary to send back medical certificates for fuller information, and in certain cases special certificates have been obtained from experts in particular subjects, such as X-ray, ophthalmoscopy, and blood examination, while in some cases further arrangements have been made for the admission of doubtful cases to the general or special hospital. If every medical examineer carried out his written instructions in every case and examined in a thoroughly competent manner, it is probable that in no instance would an immigrant embark for New Zealand who was not in good health, though it is obvious that he might become ill between medical examination and embarkation, but if not in good health at the time he should be refused by the Board of Trade medical officer, or the ship's doctor. Unfortunately, although the majority perform their duties most competently, there Save been, and are bound to be, occasional instances where medical notes have revealed perfunctory examination. In such instances it is usual to ask for itirther information, •as a rule in the ;orm of a direct question, and Dr. Myers flas assumed that- each case so treated }ias remained healthy in New Zealand since. During the twelve years that he lias been medical officer to the New Zealand Government not one ease has been ;aken exception to. In dealing with such a case there must be absolute justice, and we must assure ourselves that iisease'existed in a clinically discoverable form when the migrant was exam•ued. Now all certificates are sent to Jr. Myers when there appears to be «iv abnormality whatever.