Bay Local Body Concern

Northern Advocate, 11 March 1948, Page 4

Bay Local Body Concern

KAWAKAWA. Thu. (Sp.) “The people are greatly disturbed, especially in view of the published opinion of Dr Smith, of Rawene, that greatest danger to children lies in their travelling to and from school in overcrowded buses and launches.”

This statement, referring to the infantile paralysis epidemic, was made at the opening of the Bay of Islands County Council meeting yesterday by the chairman (Cr H. T. Atkinson). “As the district’s senior public health authority we wired the Minister of Health (Miss Howard) and conferred with the Bay of Islands Hospital Board, but we found that wq had power to do exactly nothing.” HOSPITAL BOARD VIEW Cr G. H. McKenzie, who is chairman of the Bay Hospital Board, said that, after having telegraphed the Minister but having received no answer, the Hospital Board executive had been called together this week to discuss the subject. Miss Howard had replied, said Cr McKenzie, to a telegram from Mr S. W. Smith, M.P., saying she was satisfied that everything necessary was being done. She had been in touch with departmental officers in Whangarei and Auckland.

“We are greatly worried about overcrowding in school buses during the hot weather,” said Cr McKenzie. MEDICAL OUT-PATIENTS

“Some medical men say there is not much use in closing the schools except that it would emphasise to the public the absolute danger of this epidemic. Others say all the schools should bo closed.”

“If there was no need to keep schools closed in Northland, then there was no need to close them in Auckland and the Waikato,” added Cr McKenzie.

“We can get no farther.” he said. “The Health Department people assure us that there is no danger except in the travelling of children from districts where there has been an epidemic case.” The council left the matter at this stage.