MEDICAL CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 442, 26 February 1909, Page 5

MEDICAL CONFERENCE.

:' ■ '.'.■■ '....: : '— 9—■ : '."'■-.■ , : :' '-.new; practitioners act mooted.' hon. d.'buddo favourable |BI IELEOItAPH— PBES3 ASSOCUTIO.I.I . "•■."'■'.'■ '~'•'' ' '■' - Napier, February' 25.' ■- The oounoil of the New Zealand' branch of the. British Medical Association resumed this'morning., Two , new- members we-re elected. The Hon. D.Buddo; Minister for Public Health, was unanimously .elected an honorary member of the-association. A depiitation was appointed to .wait upon, the Minister,for>Public Health, with a vieVr to having the", , duty' on vaccipes anil ste'ra. removed. An application was received, from; the ;■ .medical -men" "in Poverty.-Bay,, aisking that, they be constituted' a separate division of. the New. Zealand branch "of the British Medical Association. His was approved, subject.to confirmation by the. Central Ooun- '• oil of the. British Medical ■ Associationj.', London. At the conclusion of the council \meeting, the conference,of the New Zealand branch was resumed. . Mr. Buddo and Mr.' J. .Vigor. Brown, M.P.,' were in .attendance. The' Minister returned thanks for his. election as an honorary member, and assured..delegates that'he would do' all in his pbwerto further the interests of the profession. -■'. .-!'. ' Dr. Gibbs read a paper 'dealing with '"'tie. unsatisfactory nature pf ■ the Medical Practitioners Act. After considerable discussion, ; the: following motion was: carried: " That i .this■ meeting considers'it iiofessary that immediate steps be taken, to bring about the amendment of the Medical Practitioners Act, 1869, en the'lines .of-the English and : ■Australian Acts, and that a, .committee be set up to further this object, with the' least' possible'delay." . ■'~ I. .'•■.,■■••.■'■. ■'■'-'■•■',' _ During ,the discussion,- tlie Hon. Mr. .Buddo expressed himself- as. favourable to : ■the proposal to constitute a Medical Board in New, Zealand similar to England' :and Australia.; He-said'that he'appreciated the efforts of medical men who interested themselves in tie sanitation of a ,town,':even: ,w|ien they at times drew attention to mat-' ters-which had. the effect of lessening their incomes.: They .Would still further 'enhance their reputation .in safeguarding, the publicinterests by' providing for. people a sysje'm' or supervision , for those who, : rightly " or wrongly,, claimed to be able to deal with tio health, of-the community. '.The proposed JJill, with one or two amendments, had his' entire sympathy. He desired to say that the Anti-Quackery Bill, had .had ; a very.'good moral efiect, although, as had'been, urged' I 5? mo ,°? the speakers, it had.not done ail. that had been ..claimed for.'itj.'MlhiHhei first place, the Act had beeto' for :theV g'66<l of the. community, and.in the seoondplace, tor the good of the profession' themselves RovoTtinK,.to,the,main-subject of discussionj ■ air.- Jjuddo stated that-he was only one'Min-' .ister in the. Cabinet, but he could assure mombers : . that the proposed. Bill: had - his 'eii:tiro sympathy, and he saw no,reasdn : why it should not go through the House. ; , :■'..-:';; This afternoon members of the conferenc-3 were treated to a motor launch , trip in the .inner harbour.' A' large ■, party., were subse-' quently entertained at afternoon tea by Mr J. vigor Brown, M.P.y. at: his.isummer resi.dence at.West Shore... In,the evening: the annual dinner was held. ■ ■■ I