DEPARTMENT'S ACTIONS

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21974, 24 December 1936, Page 12

DEPARTMENT'S ACTIONS

STATEMENT BY MINISTER FOR HEALTH A CALL FOR CO-OPERATION [THE PRESS Special Service.] WAIHO GORGE, December 23. The Minister for Health (the Hon. P. Fraser) said at Waiho to-day that children, travelling with their parents to seaside residences, who would not come into contact with other children, would be allowed to travel, provided all adequate safeguards were observed, but they would not be permitted to go to other towns. So that parents could be instructed in the diagnosis of the disease, the Health Department would use the broadcasting service. If the outbreak of infantile paralysis could be confined to as narrow an area as possible they would feel that they had done all that was possible, said the Minister at Hokitika yesterday.

Infantile paralysis was, as every medical man knew, a very elusive disease, Mr Fraser continued. The question of the best method of dealing with it was only in the experimental "tage All that they knew certainly was "that every precaution should be 'The department had done everything that was humanly possible, and it had the assistance of those who were economically affected, said the Minister. Picture-theatre proprietors throughout the Dominion had decided not to admit children under 12 years of age, and this would have to be extended if the epidemic spread. The Health Department would use the farreaching powers of the Health Act, if necessary, to protect health. If it received the co-operation of parents it would not need to do that. The thing to do was for the whole community to combine against the enemy.

AUCKLAND PARENTS CRITICISED "WARNING LIGHTLY TREATED" (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND, December 23. "Auckland parents appear to be treating the warning of the Health Department lightly." said Dr. J. W. Craven, superintendent of the Auckland Hospital, to-day, in urging that the department's advice as to infantile paralysis be strictly followed. Arrangements have been made to place in quarantine a boy aged 13 years, who is arriving in Auckland from Dunedin to-morrow, though he is not an actual suspect. It is urged by the Health Department that children arriving from Dunedin receive medical preventive treatment and be not allowed to mix with other children for 10 days; also, that adults from Dunedin consist medical men and avoid contact with other people for 10 days. Although no trace of infantile paralysis has yet been found in Auckland, parents are strongly.advised by the Health Department against sending children to Dunedin, and, if it is possible, to refrain from going there themselves. PRECAUTIONS IN SAMOA ACTING ADMINISTRATOR DEFERS HIS LEAVE (rRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, December 23. Mr A. C. Turnbull, acting administrator of Western Samoa, who was to arrive at Wellington on January 6, has deferred his departure on about four months' furlough until after the quarantine restriction, because of the outbreak of infantile paralysis in New Zealand, has been lifted. As a precautionary measure, no passengers from New Zealand are allowed to land at Apia just now, and in view of this Mr Turnbull has deemed it right to postpone his leave. He will probably sail from Apia early in February.