POLITICAL POINTS

Evening Star, Issue 19044, 12 September 1925, Page 2

POLITICAL POINTS

PARLIAMENT MAKES THE PAGE [Fhom Ouh Pahliamentaht Repouter.J WELLINGTON, September 11. The Government had no complaint about the working mood of the House of Representatives to-day. It was expected that the remaining clauses of the Estimates would require two sittings to consider, but in one afternoon and a few hours of tho evening every class was adopted, including such talk-provoking items as Health, Mental Hospitals, Police, and Electoral. The reward for this good work was that the Premier decided when the House rose at 11 o’clock that it need not sit on Monday, as previously arranged. * * * * BIMIGRANT DENTIST’S CLAIM. The petition of Frederick Peters, of Otahuhu, a dentist, registered in England, presented to the House by Mr M’Loiinau, states that petitioner, a discharged soldier, with long service, married, with one child, came to New Zealand as tho result of an inducement contained - in the professional handbook issued him in October, 1923, by the High Commissioner in London, such inducement being representations that be was entitled to be registered as a dentist in Now Zealand on his English qualifications. In consequence of such representation he sold his practice, broke up his home iu England, aud proceeded here. He applied for registration in New Zealand, and ivas denied ; whereupon he was forced to take up laboring work, at an average of £4 a week. Petitioner estimated he would have been able to earn at least £750 a year if allowed to practise as a dentist, whereas iu twenty months as a laborer he earned only £3OO. As lie could not practise here, his only recourse -was to return to England, and ha prayed for a free second class passage Home for himself, wife, and child, aud tho payment of £BOO compensation. * * * # EAT SEAWEED—HEALTH MINISTER’S ADVICE. “ I recommend my European friends to oat a little seaweed,” urns the concluding advice of Sir Maui Pomnre, Minister of Health, after ho had answered tho questions of members regarding the Health Department’s efforts to reduce tho incidence of goitre. Tho public must not run away with the idea (he said) tliat the ordinary salt they used was a specific for goitre, because this salt had had the iodine purified out of it. There was a kind*of salt used in Europe containing iodine. Tho New Zealand Health Department had made a general survey ol dominion soils, because of the suggestion that lack of iodine in the soil was the cause of goitre. With the consent of parents, school children were, being given iodine in various forms, including chocolates, or other forms making it easy to administer. In that way the department could get ahead. In regard to goitre, the Minister interested members greatly in his explanation why-goitre was not prevalent among Maoris in ancient times. They used to collect Kurangi, a kind of seaweed, which was bartered to inland tribes, and it was largely oaten. This contained a lot of iodine. Similar seaweed was eaten on the West Coast of Ireland and in France. The Maoris wore certainly free from goitre in the old days, so the Minister smilingly passed on this dietary advice to Europeans. 1 * » o «

DOCTORS AND HOSPITAL SERVICE. “ Medical men talk as though their work in hospitals conferred a great benefit on the public—as though lE - ' benefit wa.s all on one side,” observed Mr Fraser, discussing the Health Department's Estimates in tho House of Representatives to-night. “ But a man occupying a very important position informs me that one of the evils of stipendiary medical officers in hospitals would bo the probable shutting out of private practitioners, who. would thus lose the experience that is absolutely necessary for them to keep abreast of modern developments. Also, if barred from hospitals, these doctors would not have the use of an expensive laboratory and other equipment. It seems, therefore, as if there is a mutual benefit.”