PUBLIC HEALTH

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 September 1920, Page 5

PUBLIC HEALTH

REORGANISATION SCHEAIE. LOCAL BODIES’ POWERS. PROVISIONS OF BILL, (Special to the “Star.”) ' WELLINGTON, August 31. The introduction by the Hon. O. J. Parr (Minister of Public Health) today, of the Health Bill, a measure of 146 clauses consolidating the law on the subject and providing for the reorganisation of the administrative machinery, was received with great interest by the House; The Bill provides that the Department of Health is to comprise seven divisions, dealing with public hygiene, hospital nursing, school hygiene, dental hygiene, child welfare, and Maori hygiene. It will he administered by the Alinister of Public Health, and the Director-Gene-ral of Health (who shall be a medical practitioner with special qualifications in sanitary science). Directors of the above-mentioned divisions, and a Board of Health comprising the DirectorGeneral of Health, an officer of tne Internal Affairs Department, a medi'cal practitioner in the Government service, a medical practitioner nominated by the New Zealand branch of the British Aledical Association, a medical practitioner who is a member of the Aledical Faculty of the University of Otago, one representative each of the Municipal Association, Counties Association, Civil Engineers, Hospital Boards), and some other person (not a medical man) appointed by the Alinistry.

Responding to several members’ inquiries for information, and some criticism that uocal bodies’ powers were being interefered with, Air. Parr said that the exact contrary was the case. The Chief Health Officer under the present law could be absolutely a dictator to local authorities, but the Bill sought to place power in the hands of the Health Board, on which laymen would be predominant. If there was one thing the Bill provided, it was an increase in the powers of local government. (Hear, hear.) It would give local authorities increased powers. It was proposed to transfer the Education Department’s medical activities to the Health Department.

Air. Lysnar, in distinction from previous speakers, said that he had been asked by the Gisborne Borough to urge that Health Officers should have greater powers in administering the Heajth Act in the various localities, as there would be less liability to friction and trouble.

“What will he the power of municipal'ties to deal with epidemics?” askH IMr. Yeitch, who referred to the overlapping and confusion during the influenza epidemic. Mr. Parr replied that this was an exemplification of the need for such a Bill. It was perfectly true that during the last epidemic there was confusion of authority, which made for anything hut eif'eiency. The trouble was that the responsibility for dealing with infectious disease was vested in Hospital Boards, and other powers vested in local authorities, also the Health Department; but Hospital Board’s regarded the sick as their only function, and did not bother with the sanitary conditions in their areas. Replying to Mr. Kelleft, the Minister said that there would he no further difficulty over the demolition of insanitarv buildings, as the Bill gave local authorities power to deal with the matter off their own bat. The Bill was read a second time formally, and referred to the Health Committee, which will take evidence.