THE EPIDEMIC COMMISSION.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16472, 15 March 1919, Page 8

THE EPIDEMIC COMMISSION.

ANOTHER STATEMENT BY THE HON. G. W. ItUSSELL. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, March 14. Before tho Epidemic Commission this afternoon tho Hon. G. W. llussell, . Minister of Public Health, made another statemont. He said that splendid services were given by voluntary workers, but lie fcarod that in tho.caso of another outbroak we might not safely rely on volunteer labour. Ho suggested an organisation which might be developod for the division of the cities into blocks, and for the administration of work in those areas. At the head of this organisation would be tho ■ Chief Health Officer. Among his suggestions were that this officer, or his deputy, should have powor to commandoar buildings for hospitals, motorcars, fruit, and the services of doctors and nurses. The Government had had recourse to tho War Regulations foi these emergoncy moasures, but there would be no war, and no war regulations, presently, and ho thought there ought to -be power under the Public Hoalth Act to tako those emergency measures. In the event of national prohibition being carried, tho Public Health Department would have to carry stocks of alcohol for medicinal purposes. To get this modicine people would require certificates, and arrangements would be made for the Government doctors to give theso certificates free of charge. Legislation would be necessary to give the Government power to arrange for tho burial of tho dead, and to fix tho cost of funerals. In the event of another epidemic, the Government would have to consider .whether part of the cost would not have to be borno by tho local authorities. In this case it had been all borno by the general Government, and tho total cost would bo not loss than a quarter of a million. The Commission- will sit again on Monday.