PUBLIC HEALTH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23369, 8 December 1937, Page 6

PUBLIC HEALTH

AMENDMENTS TO ACT NEW POWERS SOUGHT MODERN REQUIREMENTS (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, Dec. 7. Extensions to the Health Act of 1920 are contained in the Health Amendment Bill, which was. introduced by Governor-General's Message in the House of Representatives to-day.; The Bill provides that, in any outlying islands or other areas which are not within the jurisdiction of any local -authority or harbour board, the promotion and conservation of public health: is;:tp, be the function of the Health Department. Reasonable fees may be levied by, the department on owners!or occupiers of lands within the areas concerned. There is provision that the obligation on local authorities to provide sanitary works on a requisition of the Board of Health is not to be limited in any respect. Local authorities are also empowered to carry out sanitary works for the benefit of their districts/ sven if the proposed works are outside their boundaries. '; . Powers Extended The' Auckland and . Suburban Drainage Board, the Christchurch Drainage Board and the Dunedm Drainage and Sewerage Board are to be regarded as local authorities for the purposes of the principal Act relating to sanitary works. No person is to be appointed as a sanitary inspector by 'a locar authority unless he is, fully qualified ih accordance with the regulations, and provision is made that, except with the approval of the Directorgeneral of Health, the work of a sanitary inspector is to be regarded as a full-time job. The sanitary requirements ot business premises are to be - extended by the requirement that _an adequate supply of pure water for drinking and other purposes must be provided for the free use of the workers. Closing orders in respect of insanitary premises are in future to be served on the owner ot the premises as well as the occupier. The functions exercised by local authorities under the Health Act are to be exercised by all harbour boards with respect to wharves, buildings and lands under their control and; also ships lni! port. t Aittong the clauses dealing witn actual diseases, tberejs power for officers of .the-Health Department to isolate carriers or suspected carriers of infectious diseases. Provision for Air Travel The quarantine regulations; as they apply to overseas ships, are to be modified in accordance with recent practice, and additional quarantine provisions are included to operate in the case of aircraft. These latter provisions. give the necessary authority for nort health officers to carry out medical inspections of aircraft passengers in substantially the same manner as inspections of overseas ships. Sections of aerodromes may accordingly' be set apart for quarantine purposes. " Further provisions are made for the medical examination of school children in the direction of an extension to cover all registered schools. Application ;in .writing must be made by the controlling authority of a school, however, if an inspection is desired. ; The provisions for the protection of infirm or neglected persons are also extended. ''■■'-. '• .. . • A Gazette notice of 1924, which added certain venereal diseases to the list of infectious, but not notifiable, diseases is now to be confirmed by legislation. Protection is to be given from civil or criminal liability to persons acting under the authority of the principal Act. Weaknesses to be Rectified When the Bill was introduced the Minister of Health (Mr P. Fraser) said that there had been no amendment of the Health Act for 17 years, and there were certain weaknesses which I.ad to be rectified. The Bill would only be circulated before the adjournment, but, when the House resumed after the Christmas recess, it would be referred to the Health' Committee and then discussed in the House.