GENERAL ITEMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17576, 18 March 1919, Page 5

GENERAL ITEMS

HOW GERMANY WAS BEATEN. LUDENDORFF'S EXPLANATIONS. WASHINGTON, March 15. (Received March 17, at 7.20 p.m.) An official despatch from Paris states that tho Social Demokratari at Stockholm publishes an interview with General Ludendorff, in which he' says that tho German military power has for ever vanished. Ho attributes the German defeat to General von Moltke's deficient strategy, General von Falkenhayn's defective direction, the poor information supplied by the German Intelligence Service, and particularly to Austria's inability to help Germany, which was caused by the Italian army's tenacious fighting.—A. and N.Z. Cable. ARAB RISING IN PERSIA. SUPPRESSED BY ALLIED TROOPS. NEW YORK, March 15. (Received March 17, at, 7.20 p.m.) A Paris message states that news is disclosed of an Arab rising , against Europeans and Armenians in the Euphrates Valley. The news had been suppressed." Several Europeans were killed. Franco-British troops suppressed the rioters and arrested the leaders. ' More than 50 Armenians were killed a , !; Aleppo and Adana.—A. and N.Z. Cable. DESTRUCTION OF AEROPLANES. BRITISH "OFFICIAL STATEMENT. v / LONDON, March 15. (Received March 17, at 7.20 p.m.) According to Brigadier-general Seslv, Minister of the Air Force, in the House of Commons, the British brought down 80-C0 German aeroplanes during the war, while the Germans brought down 2800 British maohines. KOREAN ASPIRATIONS. AIMING AT INDEPENDENCE. PEKING, March 15. (Received March 17, at 7.20 p.m.) There_ is a widespread movement in Korea aiming at independence. Thousands of demonstrators in towns and villages have been arrested. The Korean Nationalists have arranged for parades throughout the country.—-A. and N.Z. Cable. RUMANIA'S SUFFERINGS. STATEMENT BY THE QUEEN. LONDON, March 15. (Received March 17, at 8.5 p.m.) Interviewed by a Pall Mall Gazette representative, the Queen of (Rumania pictures the continued and continuous privations of_ her people. Germany, she said, bad stripped the country bare of everything,, including all facilities for transport. The country was ravaged to perhaps an even greater extent than Belgium. Hunger was felt in every home, and the great mass of women and children were starving. The hunger position was admittedlly dangerous, but Bolshevism had no hold. She urged that Rumania offered great opportunities for British commercial enterprise, but placed first; the dire need of food and clothing.—A. and N.Z. Cable.

RIOTS IN- CAIRO.. CAIRO, March 17. (Received March 18, at 0.35 a.m.) The military suppressed serious riots. There were a few casualties.—A. and N.Z. Cable. BRITISH MINE-SWEEPING. VOLUNTARY FORCE ENXISTDfG. •LONDON, March 17. (Received March 18, at 0.35 a.m.) The Admiralty is establishin? a voluntary force of 1300 men, exclusively in England,. for mine-sweeping, which will occupy many months.—A. and N.Z. Cable.,

PUBLIC HEALTH ADMINISTRATION SOME REFRESHING CANDOUR. NON-POLITICAL BOARD URGED. CSbom uuii Own CoEjjsspoNDasT.j WELLINGTON, March 17. Some candid criticism of the Publio Heaitii Board set up under the Act of last session was made by Dr Makgill, giving evidence before the Epidemic commission to-day. Dγ Makgill said that his evidence did not represent merely his own opinion, but was the result of collaboration with his colleagues. He eaid he had just spoken of the great need for the control of the administration of publio health, by a body of experts and other people with a knowledge of the subject, and then, he continued, in tne Public Health Amendment Act of 1918 an attempt has been made to establish such a body by the creation of a Board oi Health. Unfortunately, when we examine the parts of this board we find that they are jneiely an advisory body reporting to the Minister their opinions on pubiio health questions. The board cannot direct the enforcement of any sanitary 'works, cannot initiate precautions, cannot bring pressure to bear on local bodies, or give directions to departmental qifioers. Then- recommendations go to the Minister, and thus are subject to those political considerations inseparable from Cabinet <contfol. In the same Act district advisory boards may be constituted by the Minister. Their function is to report on matters which he may refer to them—a variety of sanitary debating clubs, in fact, to whom subjects for discussion will be allotted and whose resolutions may be duly pigeon-holed if they run contrary to popular prejudice, , or are otherwise inconvenient. Little advantage would be anticipated from the creation of these bodies as at present constituted."

Referring to the Act of 1900, which also was passed in a hurry, at.a time when New Zealand was under the shadow of a plague scare, Dr Makgill said: "No great change can with*sa£ety be attempted suddenly, more especially constitutional changes in State administration. The Act, instead of following the lines taught by experience in Great Britain, broke new ground, and the result is we find the useless powers conferred on health officers which might have been possible of enforcement in Prussia, but certainly not in New Zealand. Evidently the legislators even in passing the Act took alarm, every now and then we find that to these extraordinary powers & check string is attached giving the real control to the Minister. The Act invites, nay compels, Ministerial interference in matters regarding which he may have no special knowledge. Here also a local body oombats the mandate of the chief health officer. Doubtless a Minister of Health is. indeed, to represent the claims of sanitation to Cabinet and to Parliament. The general expenditure must be thus controlled, as also the amendments and-additions to sani-" tary legislation, but here hie functions should end, and the real controlling body should be a non-political board' of health composed of persons with experience and expert knowledge, whoso actions and decisions will bo founded on scientific lines, and actuated by the practical needs of the nommunity. To such a board the depart mental officers would renort, and the local authorities would .appeal, and its powers should be 6uch that matters such' as the passing of sanitary by-laws and the undertaking of sanitary works would be compulsory on its mandate. To this end the decisions of the board in local government should be final, and modified only on appeals to the Supreme Court. In West Australia and in Queensland these powers are delegated to a commissioner of public health, but probably in New Zealand public opinion would prefer a board such as I have suggested." *