DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSIBILITIES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15857, 1 September 1913, Page 5

DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSIBILITIES.

STRICTER SUPERVISION WANTED. (Feb United Press Association.) • HAMILTON, August 30. Strong comment was made in the local ' Borough Council last night on the'attitude - of the Health Department in regard to i : smallpox. The Mayor stated that a deputation of ' Natives had waited on him yesterday, and appealed for medical assistance to be sent to their pas, where there'is much illness apart-from the smallpox. The medi- ■< cal men refused to visit the camps. There was also a sore want of sustenance in some of the kaingas, which were reported to be on the verge of starvation,. the Natives ■ having neither food nor money, and, •being prohibited from leaving the camp they . had no means of earning any. The Health •• Department, added the Mayor, had taken. , the administration of the health laws out ■ j : of the hands of the local bodies, but, im- . I mediately it struck trouble the department ' shirked its- -responsibilities; It was impos- ■■' fiible for the local inspector to supervise all • tho camps in the Waikato, which were ■■ 1 scattered and stretched over a wide area. The consequence was, that the ■ Natives wandered -shout at will. The deputation • .".arne from a badly-infected camp. The - attitude of tho department all through rivalled a Gilbert and Sullivan opera. It was decided to send a strong protest to the Minister demanding that more stringent nieasurcS be taken in order to \vi]ic out liie disease in the Waikato and to

acquire a more strict supervision over the unft'cwcnts of tie Natives.