SCHOOL VACCINATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVII, Issue 6533, 3 February 1882, Page 6

SCHOOL VACCINATION.

TO THB BDITOB. Sib, —As the Colonial Secretary, in acoepting my resignation of the office of Fublio Vaccinator for the Christchurch District, has given me permission to publish the correspondence which took place between us in reference to the subject of school vaccination, I have to ask that you will be good enough to insert in your paper the following correspondence, which will sufficiently explain my position in the matter. I ask you to publish only the essential parts, as the whole is so voluminous that it would encroach too much upon your space.— I am, &0., OOUETNEY NED WILL. Christchurch, Feb. 2,1882.

" Ohristohuroh, Deo. 6,1891. " Shy—Bef erring * * * to the vaooination of ohildren attending the publio schools in the Ohristohuroh district, I beg to call your attention to tho following faots : —That I . reoeived a oiroular from the Registrar-General, dated Sept. 8,1881, stating that it was the desire of the Government that I should take the necessary steps to vaooinato those ohildren attending the publio schools who had not been previously vaccinated, and that with this object I should put myself in communication with the Sohool Committees in the district. That, after receiving this oiroular, I wrote to the Board of Eduoation asking them to invite the different sohools to give me facilities for carrying out the wishes of the Government. That I then communicated with about twentyfive Sohool Committees, and that the answers reoeived from some ef them put serious difficulties in the way of carrying out my purpose of examining all children attending' the publio sohools to see whether they had been vaooinated. That on Oot. 17 I wrote to the Colonial Secretary, enclosing a letter from a Sohool Oommittee, whioh raised the question whether there was any power 'to oompel stripping the ohildren for purposes of inspection or vaooination,' and saying that I must await further 'instructions from the Government before proceeding. That, having reoeived no reply, I addressed another letter to the Colonial Secretary on Nov. 12, reminding him ' that sohool vaccination in the district is remaining in. abeyance until I receive a reply in answer to some of the questions contained in the letter above mentioned.' That I have received no reply to this last letter, and that in consequenoe I have been unable to proceed in the matter of school vaooination. That I am plaoed in the light of having _ appeared to give the Sohool Committees unnecessary trouble, of having created alarm, and of having caused large numbers of ohildren to absent themselves from sohool. That the Sohool Committees, not knowing the real cause of the delay, probably attribute it to my neglect. " 0. NBDWILL. « The Hon the Colonial Secretary."

The following is the letter above referred to:—

" Sir, —I have the honour most respectfully to inform you that, before I answer your letter, I should be glad to know what course you purpose taking re vaccination. The Committee believe that they have no power to oompel stripping the ohildren for purpose! of inspection or vaccination of ohildren against the will of their parents. The head-master requests me to point out that the present time is inopportune, as the ohildren are shortly expecting their annual inspection. Great caution will bo neoeseary in the matter of vaccination, aa some weeks ago on a false rumour of a visit from the vaccinator, a large number of children absented themselves by direction of their parents.—l have, &c,

" H. B. Cooks, " Chairman of Sydenham. "DrO.Nedwill."