NATIVE DOCTORS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 19, 24 January 1933, Page 3

NATIVE DOCTORS.

PACIFIC MEDICAL SCHOOL.

GRADUATION CEREMONY,

SUVA, January 16.

Nothing will have such a far-reaching effect upon the health and vigour of the natives of the South Seas as the Central Medical School, which is located in Suva.

Beginning humbly as a local training school for native medical practitioners, the movement has developed into a big medical institution, where natives from all the chief groups come for a five years' training, three at the school and two finishing years in the War Memorial Hospital. By arrangements made by the Governor with neighbouring authorities, lads are received from Tonga, Cook Islands, Samoa, Gilbert and Ellice and even the Solomons, and trained to be medical practitioners anjong the various native races. Already men have passed with honour and gone out among their own people and they are proving most valuable in saving life and curing native diseases.

The present session culminated with graduation day, held at the school, where the acting-Governor told the lads that it was a great privilege to belong to the school. He added that only on the previous night he had received a letter from the Governor of American Samoa, asking for co-operation and requesting that a student from the school be sent to Tutuila. He said they owed'a great debt of gratitude to the lecturers, especially to Dr. Lembert, of the Rockefeller Foundation, for - their assistance and teaching. The native medical practitioners were able to take science into places where European practitioners were not able to penetrate. The tutor, Mr. Hoodless, came- in for .warm praise. The school promises. to be an invaluable aid to the well-being ' 7 of-the natives of the-Western Pacific.