NEW ZEALAND'S HEALTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20156, 17 January 1929, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND'S HEALTH.

EXPENDITURE ON HOSPITAL,LB. ! ~~ ' B ' TREATMENT OF TUBERCULOSDSIS. •' ' [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN" "WANGANTJT, Wednesdayay, ; ' In the course of his reply yesterday \ to requests from the Wanganui Hospitpital Board regarding facilities for the treat-A- 1 ment of tuberculosis cases here, the Minis-is. ter of Health, Hon. A. J. Btallwofthy„-y,-said New Zealand had only a small popu- - lation, and the Government was spending so much on* hospitals that finance would j have to be very: carefully watched frorom now on. ' jtfg

In some parts of New Zealand there wa;a an impression that there was friction b*betweeD boards and the department, saiaid Mr. Stall worthy. There were difference# of opinion, perhaps, but the departmeient was working smoothly, and when diffeferences arose it was well to remember thiiat the department, with its wider knowledge of matters as they affected the Dominidon as a whole, was more competent to juddgr than a body concerned with local conaditions only. He hoped the present haarmony would continue. In his opinicion the hospital boards formed a vital pa»art of the Dominion's health scheme.

The Minister said he thought it couold be said without any sense of boast thhat New Zealand had the finest health sjjystem in the world. The national health iof the community was the national wealtfth," and so far as the Government's resourjces went the department would do all it p possibly could to safeguard it. With reference to tubercular patieents, the director-general of health, Dr. T.. H. A. Valintine, said the department - was doing all within its power. At present they had 60 beds at Pukeora sanatorium, and at Otaki 60 beds were available » for the treatment of female patients. ThSjier® being no definite proposal from the booard regarding new provision for T.B. treatment here, the matter was taken no further.