VALUE OF FRESH MILK

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 261, 4 August 1928, Page 10

VALUE OF FRESH MILK

DR. BLACKMORE’S OPINION

MR. W. H. FIELD MAKES A SUGGESTION

A suggestion that pasteurisation of milk should be abandoned by the Wellington City Council iu favour of the supply of fresh milk was niade by Mr. W. 11. Field (Otaki) in the House of Representat.ves yesterday during the debate on (he annual report of the Health Department.

Mr. Field remarked that Dr. Blackmore, iu his address to members of I’nrliament yesterday, had expressed the opinion that every man, woman, and child should, if possible, be provided with fresh milk direct from the cow. The pasteurisation of milk, according to Dr. Blackmore, was merely a method of improving its condition where otherwise impure milk was being vended. He was satisfied that the Health Department ought to take note of what Dr. Blackmore had said on the subject, and where it was possible obtain for the people the pure milk from the cow. absolutely unadulterated. That pure milk should be supplied without pasteurisation, which was having an ill-effect on milk consumed by infant children. By reason of pasteurisation it lost the properties necessary for building up the bones and tissues of early human life. “I do uot know,” declared Mr. Field, “of any locality in New Zealand, where, in view of the improvement iu transport by road and rail, it should uot be possible to supply fresh milk direct to the people. We have got it in the city of Wellington I think it is a great pity that the local auhorities do no make up their minds to abandon pasteurisation, and see to it that the people of Wellington and of other towns are supplied with absolutely pure milk from the cow. There is no reason why that should not be done. A certain class of farmers near Wellington supply such milk, and there is no reason why it should uot be supplied to every citizen here who desires to have it. I understand that in London, wl ere a certain amount of pasteurised-milk is supplied, it is necessary that every bottle containing pasteurised milk shall be labelled ‘pasteurised milk.’ so that the people may know what they are buying. When I say that, I do not want to make an attack on the whole Wellington scheme. I think the Wellington City Council was more than justified in undertaking the distribution of milk within the city boundaries, but I believe if they had confined their attention to absolutely pure milk from the cow, produced under the strictest inspection conditions and regulations, and the distribution of such milk, we would have more, wholesome midi, especially for babies, iu Wellington to-dav. I think it would be well for the Public Health Department to consider this matter.” HABITUAL DRUNKENNESS I I. SUGGESTED GROUND FOR DIVORCE Habitual drunkenness, in the opinion of Mr. T. M. Wilford (Hutt), as expressed in the House of Representativ es last night, should be a ground for divorce. •‘I would give any woman a divorce whose husband is an habitual drunkard,” Mr. Wilford emphatically declared. “I think there is no. more fearful thing than to make a woman put up with a drunkard for a husband and live with lii as husband and wife. In law there is the right to obtain a divorce if the husband has been four years an habitual drunkard and has failed to support his wife. She, therefore, has got to put up with him as long as he gives her enough to eat and sufficient clothing. Is that a fair tiling?” .. . . Mr. Wilford added that inclusion of such a ground would not l materially increase the number of divorces, except perhaps from those who married ‘ fryingpan” wives. Then it was a ease of indigestion: (Loud laughter.) HOSPITAL NURSES WEEKLY HOLIDAY ADVOCATED

Legislative (provision making it mandatory for hospital boards to grant nurses one day’s, holiday, a week was strongly advocated bv Mr. H. M. Campbell (Hawke s Bay) in‘the House of Representatives yesterday. . , x j Mr. Campbell said that he understood there was an optional provision under which nurses were supposed to receive a fortnight’s annual leave in return for working seven days a week. He did not think that was fair, particularly when one remembered the trying nature ot their work. Provision should be made to prohibit nurses having to work more than six days a week. Mr. J. Mason (Napier) said; that so long as the , position remained optional with hospital boards so long would there be a seven-day week for nurses. It was false economy, as in the end the health of the nurses suffered. Provision should be incorporated in the Hospital and Charitable Aid Act making it compulsory for hospital boards to give their nurses one day free a week. (Hear, hear.) He believed that such a provision would have the unanimous support of the House. Sir John Luke (Wellington North) also supported the plea made on behalf of the nurses. Mr. W. E. Parry (Auckland Central) said that there was little or no concern in connection with the nurses in private hospitals! The nurses worked any old hours at all. They could be worked practically all the hours of the clock. The qualifications of nurses in private hospitals was also a matter for concern. The Department should do all it could to make the profession of nursing attractive. The question of superannuation for hospital nurses should also be considered by the Government.