THE CANCER PROBLEM

Evening Star, Issue 18999, 22 July 1925, Page 8

THE CANCER PROBLEM

RESEARCH IH NEW ZEALAND MRS MASSEY'S GIFT _ At the meeting of the Otngo University Council yesterday the Chancellor read a letter from Mrs M. J. Massey regarding her gift of £I,OOO, made in memory of her into husband, and stating that she mould like it to be applied to the New Zealand cancer reseat eh work in a- way that would produce the quickest results. The Chancellor said that this was the first official intimation of the gift. Dr*Horens, professor of bacteriology, wrote enclosing a memorandum from the Department of Health with regard to a. grant of £2OO for canc.-.T icsearch work. The gift owed its origin to a bequest of £IOO from the estate of a working man who had died of cancer in Wellington Hospital last year. The money had been allocated for cancer research in general, and as it constituted, as far as he knew, the first sum allocated specifically for this object in New Zealand, he thought it was worthy of note. Previous donations had all been earmarked for specific purposes—namely, for the supply of radium, which only touched on one of the many branches of the cancer problem. He find been informed by Dr Barnett that Mrs M. J. Massey had given £I,OOO in memory of her late husband to the University for a similar purpose, and that this sum would carry a Government subsidy. Dr Barnett and he, had discussed the whole matter carefully, and were of the opinion that the two funds should bo pooled, and that £SOO should be allocated from the combined fund for the, payment of the research scholar for one year. The writer then went on to detail the research work which the scholar should carry out. The Acting Director-General of Health (Dr M. H. Watt) wrote stating that the council was authorised to proceed with the expenditure of an amount not exceeding £2oo—tin's amount being made, up of the £IOO promised by the Wellington Hospital .Board on the condition that the Government spent it on the cancer research work and placed another £IOO to it. “Should yon find flint further expenditure would be beneficial and desirable, then, no doubt, if a good enough reason can be advanced, the Minister will consider further assistance.” Dr Fitzgerald moved that the matter he referred to the Medical and Finance Committees, with power to act. Sir Lindo Ferguson seconded the motion, which was carried.