MEDICAL SCHOOL

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 99, 21 January 1936, Page 10

MEDICAL SCHOOL

Reply to Sir H. Lindo Ferguson

SPEAKER IN SENATE Dunedin Point of Order Restricts Discussion Dominion Special Service. Auckland, January 20. A reply to the statement reported to have been made by Professor Sir 11. Lindo Ferguson, dean of tile Medical School in the University of Otago, in defence of the school was introduced into the business of the Senate of the University of New Zealand to day by Mr. K, Mackenzie. He madehis statement in the form of a personal explanation, and was allowed to continue until a point, of order, raised by Mr. W. J. Morrell, of Dunedin, was upheld by the chancellor, Hon. J. A. Hanau. Mr. Mackenzie admitted that in quoting the number of surgical cases available in Dunedin, be bad spoken somewhat loosely, and had under-estimated the total. He was not nearly So concerned about that, however, as about the shortage of obstetrical and medical cases.. The figure of 300 obstetrical eases was based on the report of j 934. Possibly the ladies of the south had responded to the needs of the medical school and the birth rate bad gone up by 50 per cent. He bad taken part in two visits to Dunedin, and on the first occasion they were given figures to show that a limitation of students was necessary. They were told the school could not handlemore than 50 or 00 students.

Otago delegates: No, no! Continuing.. Mr. Mackenzie said that when they went down last year the attitude was that there was no need for limitation and that the school could handle practically all the students that could come, along, perhaps 100. At this stage the point of order was raised and Mr. Mackenzie sat down, remarking that that was all he had to say. ‘ABSOLUTE NECESSITY’ Second Medical School at Auckland HOSPITAL OPINION Dominion Special ' Service. Auckland, January 20. That the establishment, of a medical •school at Auckland is essential if there are to be sufficient doctors available for hospital work in the future i.s the opinion of Mr. W. Wallace, chairman of the Auckland' Hospital Board and also chairman of the Hospital Boards’ Association. It was stated by Mr. Wallaee that before the holidays the superintendent of the Auckland Hospital had nought 10 resident doctors and the number be had been able to obtain was only four. This made the working of the hospital extremely difficult, and it indicated also that there were not sufficient doctors ,passing through the. medical school. i “If something is not done to remedy the present state of affairs we will have to approach the Govcrumi-’it to take action,” said Mr. Wallaee. "There is an absolute necessity for the establishment of a second medical school, and if this is not done then fiftb-year and sixth-year students should be allowed to come to Auckland. Some portion at least of the medical school will have to be established in Auckland to meet the requirements of the district. We have-here the population and the clinical facilities.” Mr. Wallaee said. A remit to the University Seuate had been passed by the Hospital Boards’ Association last March drawing attention to the lack of doctors for hospital positions.