HYDATID CONTROL WORK

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29232, 16 June 1960, Page 20

HYDATID CONTROL WORK

Wastage Of Staff

There had been a considerable wastage in the number of men trained tor hydatid control work because of its nature, said Mr H. G. Gimblett, addressing the annual conference of the New Zealand Institute of County Clerks, yesterday. , , , Some of the officers had suffered dermatitis from handling formalin in dosing and others had been attracted to jobs with higher salaries. Altogether 108 men had been trained in hydatid control for local bodies and there would be further courses at Wallaceville and Taieri. The crux of the whole question of hydatid control was co-opera-tion between the local bodies, the hydatids officer and dog owners, said Mr Gimblett. In most areas this had been achieved after some initial bother and the counties were to be congratulated on the efficient manner in which they had carried out the task.

To function efficiently certain changes were still needed. The Dog Registration Act and the Hydatids Act should be amalgamated. There was no reason why the Hydatids Act should have been separate legislation, said Mr Gimblett. If the legislation was amalgamated the hydatids fee could be paid when the dog was registered. In urban areas the siting of the dosing strip would always be a problem and it would be helpful if the co-operation of Health Department officials was sought. The standardisation of a dosing strip was not really necessary, the local body eoaald decide on the most