MASSEURS

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 38, 13 August 1920, Page 7

MASSEURS

QUESTION OF REGISTRATION

THE DOOR OPENED WIDER.

The proposal that practising, masseurs should be registered came, again before the House of Representatives last evening, when the Massage Registration Bill was committed. The Hon. C. J. Barr (Minister for Health) was in charge. Mr. Statham moved to stri'lce out from clause 4 (which defines the qualifications required to be held by a masseur before registration) the words "he must show he is competent to perform the 1 duties of a masseur," leaving the clause to read "that ha has been engaged in the practice of massage in New Zealand for three years," etc. The Minister said that this would mean that any person could secure registration who- could prove three years' practice as a. masseur. He pointed out that the Public Health Committee had already opened the door very wide by striking 1 out qualification safeguards. Those who had. knowledge which fitted^ them to carry-out the work would go on the register automatically; but it was desired that there should be- a, cer r tain amount of training. It was for the House to saw whether the register should be worth anything,. or whether it should not.

Dr. A. K. Newman (Wellington East) hoped', since the Health Committee had removed certain features *of the Bill, that the Minister would not give way. Since the war began there had been great advances in the science of massage, and numbers of people had great faith. in it. Therefore there should be Borne protection afforded the public. There was a feeling that massage should be elevated] to the status of a profession. He asked the House to look at the matter from the point of view of the public as well as from that- of the. masseurs. If the Minister got his Bill through, the Dominion would! in time have a body of masseurs as capable as were the New Zealand nurses in their profession. Mr. E. A. Wright considered great care should 1 be exercised before power was given to any examining boairdl of medical men to exempt any practising masseur.' Mr. T. M. Wilford (Hutt) said the Bill was desired by all sections of the House, insofar as protection of the public, was but they also wanted legislation that would be fair to aJI par-: ties. The point, however, was : Were the members of the proposed examining board going to-be theorists, who would judge the capabilities' of practical masseurs ? In one case there had been ai set againstl a lady in Wellington,- who practised massage. Several members adopted the argu-' menfc that, for the purposes of the original registration,- the door should be thrown more open than was done by the Bill. More stringent provision' could be enforced later. The Minister said the Department was looking to the future, and wanted to build up a class otproperly-trained, men and women to carry*; on this most important branch of healing. All that was asked was reasonable competency, and. if it was -acceptable, he- was prepared to provide that a masseur should be considered as competent, and therefore eligible for registration, if he had been in practice for' three years, within the five _ years immediately preceding th-a passing of the measure. " " The clause was amended in this direc.ton and passad. ' Mr. H. E. Holland (Buller) wished to_ provide that any examination held. might be practical or theoretical, or both, as the examinee might wish. The Minister rsfused to accept this, on the ground that it was. absurd to hold 'a purely theoretical, or a purely practical examination. Tile amendment was defeated by S4 svotes to 5. On the voices the House adopted the suggestion of Mr. Vernon Reed (Bay of Islands), that any masseur to beregistered must be of good character. Mr. Reed and Mr. Staitham suggested that, as they had now opened the door wide, they should restrict the profession to those who were regist-ared. The Minister said there would still be a number who could not be-, registered, and they should* be allowed to continue. It would not be for long. An amendment *in the direction suggested by Mr. Reed was rejected on the voices.

The Bill was reported with amendments.