HEALTH REFORM

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 64, 27 February 1935, Page 7

HEALTH REFORM

Physical and Mental Diseases WORK IN NEW ZEALAND British Example Commended 'By Telegraph-Press Association.) TIMARU, Feb. 27. Ideas for health reform in the Dominion were advanced by Dr. H. D. Robertson, Wanganui, at the Rotary Conference. He said that the Dominion was fortunate to be so well served medically. The Health Department was very efficient, with excellent hospitals and Blanket Societies. Ona of the problems of the age was the spread of venereal disease, but how far it has spread it would be difficult to ascertain, as it is not notifiable like ocher contagious diseases. Alter quoting the findings of the Australian Medical Congress, Dr. Robertson referred to the result of the commission of inquiry into the value of the Plunket Society's pre-natal and post-natal care of mothers ami children and urged Rotarians to interest themselves in the society's work. “I am in hearty agreement with the Commission,'’ lie said, “when it dwells at length on the way in which the voung ar“ allowed to go to pictures, as very few films are suitable for the facile minds of adolescents, and they contribute to precocious sexuality and to the weakening of the powers ot inhibition and self-control in other directions.” Dr. Robertson quoted cases illustrating the cost to the taxpayer for the maintenance of families ot feebleminded people and declared that these Acre causing grave concern to hospital boards and welfare officers. He then referred briefly to the seventeen recommendations of the Commission and added: "It is a great problem, and it will be apt to increase as the years progress ” Dr. Robertson expressed the opinion that a national health insurance scheme for New Zealand based on that ol Britain would become an established fact before many Parliaments bad run their course. Ho referred to the national scheme advocated by the Hospital Boards Association and explained the provisions which had been in force in Britain since 1911, which applied to all persons between the ages of 16 and 60 employed in manual labour and all other persons whose wages or salaries did not exceed £250. He said medical benefits under the national insurance scheme were deficient in certain respects, inasmuch as there was no provision for hospital treatment, for consultation in obscure cases, cases requiring specialist attention, or for pathological and physical aids and the Xray diag-nosis of disease. He was convinced that a similar scheme with these weaknesses eliminated would be established in New Zealand before long.