QUEENSLAND LAWS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 37, 14 February 1939, Page 10

QUEENSLAND LAWS.

BASED ON DOMINION.

HOSPITAL SYSTEM PRAISED.

AUSTRALIAN'S INTEREST.

Much of Queensland's legislation was modelled on that of New Zealand, and the latest experiments were being watched with keenest interest, stated Mr. C. S. Coll, secretary to the Minister of Health and Home Affairs, Queensland, in an interview to-day. Mr. Coll, who has completed a month's visit to the Dominion and will leave by the Awatea this afternoon, said that the Queensland Public Trust (or Public Curator), State Insurance, State Advances, hospital service and Plunket system were all based on New Zealand's example.

"It can safely be said that all Australia is watching with interest the social security legislation in the Dominion," said Mr. Coll. "It is recognised that the scope of the new legislation is wider than that of Australia, which has not yet been brought into force." °

Mr. Coll paid that the department to which he was attached controlled all hospitals in the State and while in the Dominion he had taken the opportunity of inspecting many of the hospitals in New Zealand and had also attended the recent hospitals' conference at New Plymouth, at the invitation of the secretary of the Hospitals' Association. He had been greatly impressed with the efficiency of the New Zealand hospital system, particularly the equipment and development of massage and X-ray sections.

The Director-General's organisation had also impressed him, said Mr. Coll. There was no doubt that the system of inspecting in the various departments was of considerable benefit to the hospital authorities.

The Queensland hospital system, he :tated, had been adopted in 1925 and was based entirely on that of New Zealand, particularly as regards the financial aspects of subsidy and rating. In Queensland the State gave a slightly higher subsidy. Profiting by New Zealand's experience the State had been divided into hospital districts. However these covered larger areas than in the Dominion and each board controlled several hospitals, in a number of towns. A difference was that whereas in New Zealand the care of the aged, tubercular and chronic cases was in the hands of the hospital boards, in Queensland this was the responsibility of the State. Mr. Coll paid a tribute to the efficiency of the New Zealand Tourist Bureau, which he stated was the finest he had ever experienced. His tour had been planned with thoroughness, the information supplied to him had been all that could be desired and the arrangements were such that any stranger could travel to the best advantage and without worry.