Waimairi to take poll on fluoride

Press, 25 July 1985, Page 5

Waimairi to take poll on fluoride

The Timaru City Council’s decision to take fluoride out of Timaru’s water supply has provided an impetus to the campaign against fluoride in Waimairi District’s water supply, according to campaigners. A Waimairi councillor, Mrs Hazel Tait, said this week that she was hopeful the Timaru decision would influence the Waimairi District Council. “I don’t believe the council can afford to ignore public feeling on fluoride any longer,” she said. “It should show very definitely that it takes public interest into account by taking fluoride out of the water supply. “There was a turnout of about 180 people to a public meeting in Waimairi last week where the former principal dental officer of the Health Department in Auckland, Mr John Colquhoun, spoke. He has done considerable research and produced many papers on the subject of fluoride.” Mr Colquhoun claims that dental health is not significantly better in areas with fluoridation than in areas without, according to Cr Tait. “It is well known that fluoride causes mottling of the teeth. Research has also shown that although teeth may be strengthened in the short term by fluoride, in the long term they become

brittle with more problems of decay. "The council has agreed to hold another poll to gauge public opinion on fluoridation but I don’t think this is a step in the right direction. I believe the council did this to look as though it is doing something as the issue comes to a head.” Cr Tait said she voted against the council’s motion to hold another poll because she was “suspicious” that it would not be a representative poll. “At the public meeting a motion was passed to request the council to conduct a referendum on the matter. The council is basing its stand on the views of the Health Department but I think the department knows that fluoride in the water system is harmful. ’ “The department docs not want to iose face after about 30 years of supporting fluoride in some New Zealand water systems. It is probably trying to backtrack gradually and is reducing the amounts of fluoride given to people.” A leading compaigner against fluoride, Mr Neil Kay, said this week that he would pass on to the Waimairi District Clerk the resolution at the public meeting supporting a referendum. “I am also conducting an

opinion poll through the ‘Papanui Herald’ and ‘News Advertiser’,” he said. “I expect that it will support the findings of the council's last opinion poll and the overwhelming number of submissions against fluoride submitted to the council. “Unfortunately, like several other residents, I do not have the time to organise a petition but I feel the council must accept the principle of a referendum. If the council continues to ignore the feelings of residents we will hold another meeting with Mr Colquhoun.” Waimairi councillors would be invited to attend the meeting, Mr Kay said. The principal dental officer in the Health Department in Christchurch, Mr Harry Drinnan. said yesterday that the department’s stand had always been to advise councils on the benefits of fluoride to dental health. “According to the body of evidence available, fluoride does promote dental health,” he said. “Any decision to take it out of the Waimairi water supply would be regrettable. “Extensive studies by the Medical Research Council refute any of Mr Colquhoun’s claims of unsightly teeth mottling to any de’gree. There is some mottling effect and we always knew that and made it clear

to people.” . The mottling was not “aesthetically unacceptable,” Mr Drinnan said. The chairman of the Waimairi District Council, Mrs Margaret Murray, said yesterday that those attending the public meeting, the council’s first opinion poll, and submissions made to the council were not adequately representative of the 72,000 residents in Waimairi. "At our next finance committee meeting we will discuss the most appropriate opinion poll to use to gauge adequately the feelings of Waimairi residents,” she said. “The council, by a significant majority, has decided that the weight of evidence supports the continued use of fluoride in the water supply. “The council is concerned enough to make sure that the public understand the issue and that they will have what the majority of them want. Waimairi councillors are close to the people they represent and they take the public’s view into account." “The Timaru decision was significant, but so was the recent decision of local authorities in Auckland, with water supplied by the Auckland Regional Authority, to continue with fluoride in their water systems.” Mrs Murray said. Further reports, page 37