SCHOOL DENTAL CLINICS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 10 August 1928, Page 6

SCHOOL DENTAL CLINICS

WHAT GOVERNMENT IS DOING

MINISTER ANSWERS CJUTICISM

(By telegraphy (tfyaui "Tho Mail's," parliamentary Reporter).

WELLINGTON, 9th August. Replying to statements .made by members in discussing the report of the Health Department, the Minister of Health (the tfon. J. A. Young) stated in'the House of Representatives to-day that the Government of New Zealand was doing more than any other country in the world in regard to dental treatment of children. The .Minister remarked that dental clinics were in their initial stages, but tho difficulty was to provide a, means for increasing the service. The service was established five years ago and when he assumed the Health Portfolio in 1926, twenty nurses were being (rained annually. The number now being trained was 35 per year, but he would not be satisfied until 50 per year wore undergoing training. To meet the requirements of tho country the services of 300 nurses would be needed. There were now 77 nurses in the field, and nine dental officers and 66. nurses wore undergoing training. They could not do impossibilities and at the present rate of progress it would take six years at least to train sufficient nurses for the requirements. .Members were prepared to support the Government in finding the money for tho dental service, but how could it be logically expected that there would be reductions in taxation when there were insistent demands for social services the money for which had to be found by the taxpayers?

. : "FAIR TREATMENT!' : , The 'Minister ,'s'aid' that ; -the country districts had received'fair treatment, in regard to dental clinics despite the criticism to the contrary, although, if he were in. a position to do so, ho would extend the service to every part of the Dominion. Request had been made for the [benefits of the dental service to be extended to the children attending the secondary schools. The policy of,the Government was to extend the service to every child in the community irrespective of whether he was attending a State, or any other school; but, as the service had been established as a State institution and there were more than 200,000 children in the State schools who required the service, it seemed to him to be only reasonable that the children in the State schools should have first preference in the matter of extension of the service. He did not think that, any member would be in favour of giving private schools the benefit of the denial service at the expense of any of the State schools.