MEDICAL HEALTH OFFICER.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1655, 22 October 1919, Page 5

MEDICAL HEALTH OFFICER.

SUGGESTION FOR CONFERENCE.

Amongst tho recommendations submitted to tho Borough Council at its meeting last night by the Public Health Committee was the following:—"That the Hospital Board bo notified that the Council considers the appointment of a medical officer of health should bo made by the department, which should also pay the salary of such officer." Tho Mayor said thoy all remembered tho epidemic, and who could say there would not bo a return of it? The Council had been requested to hold a conference to consider tho question of the appointment of a medical health officer, and that conference should bo held. They Avanted to see that tho onus was removed from tho Council in case there happened to be a recrudescence of last year's epidemic, so that it could not be held up against tho Council that they had been asked to hold a conferonce and had failed to do so. A conference of local bodies was absolutely necessary to see if they wore prepared to pay a medical officer. Cr. Crabb: Are we prepared to do so? The Mayor: I don't know. I am prepared to pay portion. Cr. Spooner said that he took it that the time had come to take in hand tho employment of a medical officer of health.

Cr. Crabb said that it would mean increasing the rates by £SOO per year. He did not think the Borough was big enough to do so at the present time. To call a conference before the Council knew its own mind on the matter would be of no use.

The Mayor: I don't think it would cost us £SOO per year. We might go to £250.

Cr. Crabb: You won't get a man to give his whole time for that. The Mayor: We would not want him for his whole time.

Cr. Graham: I think we would need him.

Cr. Crabb said that if the Health Department had better officers there would be no need for a medical health officer. Cr. J. Hodgens said that if they only had a man for half time that would not be sufficient.

The Mayor said that the appointment should be' made through the Hospital Board, but he had been unable to get anything done there. Cr. Lancaster: Will you get anything done with a conference? The Mayor: They might subsidise it. The appointment is absolutely necessary. The clause in the report, was adopted.