CAKING FOR TEE SICK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14708, 16 June 1911, Page 6

CAKING FOR TEE SICK.

HOSPITAL MAINTENANCE,

SUCCESS OF THE NEW ACT.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION'.]

OinuSTCmniCH, Thursday. Speaking at the opening of the children's ward at the Christchurch Hospital this afternoon, the Don. Goo, Fowlds (Minister iu charge of Hospitals) said they must not forget that but for the generosity of the district it was extremely unlikely that the Board would have felt it incumbent on them to erect such elaborate wards for women and children, which, without doubt, wore the best of their kind in the Dominion. lie had no doubt that similar efforts would be made from time to time by the public in aid of their institutions, despite the reiterated remarks of the ever-present pessimist to the offect that tho maintenance of their institutions by the rales and Government subsidy had resulted in the death of voluntary effort and subscription. In view of the recent efforts, however, in Christchurch, Wellington, arid Dunedin, that argument could not very well be maintained.

As Acting-Minister for Public Health, ho noted with pleasure that the Hoard was bringing forward some important suggestions at the conference with regard to the better control of consumption. "We must continue our warfare against consumption with steadfastness and pertinacity," ho continued, " conscious that in the long run we shall be able to severely ' scotch,' if not to kill, this relentless foe of mankind. There is, I am glad to note, distinct evidence (hat the death-rate from consumption is declining in New Zealand, and this gives us every encouragement to pursue the campaign."

Mr. Fowlds went on to say that it would be interesting to hear the opinions of delegates at the forthcoming conference as to the working of the. new Hospitals Act. It was of course early to speak, but from the remits to hand it, would appear that the members of Boards did not, consider that it was in need of any substantial amendment. He was particularly pleased to note the cheerful manner in which the Boards of the Dominion were facing their new responsibilities. He was particularly pleased to note that tho returns so far indicated a reduction of hospital expenditure, which might make the Boards more inclined to extend their efforts into fresh avenues for the benefit of the sick and needy of the Dominion. He looked forward to the time when Boards would use the machinery provided in the Act for tho early detection of disease, whether by means of an adequate inspection of school-children, health visitors, or district nurses, and by this means be. enabled to save a great deal of the wastage and wreckage of human like that was now going on.