PUBLIC HEALTH

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10689, 8 September 1920, Page 6

PUBLIC HEALTH

CARE OF SCHOOL CHILDREN,

Tho Minister for Public Health (tho Hon. C. J. Parr) made the following statement yesterday:—"l notico with a little surprise that the Press in many centres has criticised the proposed 'section 137 of the_ new Public Hoalth Bill. This section provides, in effect, that school medical officers may enter publio schools, examine the children, and notify the parentß of any bodily defects. The section then stipulates that the parent concerned shall obtain suitable medical treatment, and that if he fails to take reasonable steps to do so he shall be guilty of an offence. I have been criticosed for introducing such a drastic measure. Apparently, however, the critics have overlooked the fact that this so-called new drastio proposal is already the law. The section has really been takon from tho Education Act of 1914, sections 134 and 135, which direct that any parent who neglects, after a second notification, to obtain for his child suitable medical treatment,- may bo deemed to be guilty of cruelty. If anything/the old law is more severe tl-an tho new. The reason for taking trie provision out of tho Education Act, and putting it in the Health Bill is to be found in the. fact that the school medical inspection work has been incorporated in tho work of the Public Health Department."