DENTAL ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 29

DENTAL ASSOCIATION.

SPEECH BY HON.- MR FOWLDS. ' ■ AUCKLAND, January 8. The delegates, to the annuai conference of the New Zealand Dental Association ■ were enetrtained by the Hon. Geo. JBWlde} Minister of Education, this afternoon. ■- Mr Powlds,, in -proposing "The NewZea* land 'Dental Association," said that th« denti«ts t >of New Zealand and the ' Dental Association had to their credit the" fac< that they had largely assisted 'in, the, esta'V lishment of the dentaL.school -at Dunedin. ISI connection with tlie ..^University of New} Zealand. That 'they had subscribed £10001 towards the school, which'' was now doiugi excellent work, was. -an evidence of genuine interest in'thfe matter. 'He thanked the members" of- the" association forl the interest they , had 'displayed' in" regard, W "the -important^ question of the condition- oi children's teeth. As. Minister .of Eduea.-' tion woufd.be very -triad wEeii "some systematio method 'could-, be^.. adopted' for; the examination of -the teeth of 'school chil-: dren. These however, would not do very -mu'chV'and i f~ Was , necessary, that it should be followed up 'by "treatment., Many parents' would not "be able to Bay. heavy fees for such treatment, .'and- it wa« necessary that y in such .cases. -; some, system of free cases — some system of . free treatment — should" -be arranged. -^"("Hear, hear.") -SuveJy it was quite as important that 'sickness of .the should have treatment-, and care as^sickness of '--any -other -part of the- b6dy* The"' Hospital Board was charged 1 ' with- the -duty of providing treatment for those who were eiok> and unable to pay, and as he had said, troubles affecting the mouth /.should, be regarded -as of as .much, importance as any -other physical trouble that" afflicted the "community^ Mr' A. M«- Garter (vice-president of the association) ,- in replying, to, - the toast.' thanked Mr Fowlds for "the* warm official,' and personal interest that, he had displayed, •in regard' iio the ' Dental ' Association. As dentists they were* not' banded together for 'mere .personal as they', had the -welfare of . the community at heart. The toast of. " Our Visitors " was proposed , by 'Mr J. A.- Young, who' referred to the ■ advantages of sucb conferences as the present in furthering the, interests of the .profession, and -said he hoped to see i the day -when the dream of the late Mr, Sedddn- would be^ realised" by ,the bringing' sabout of professional reciprocity throughout the length and breadth of the, British Dominions. , ' Mr Edwin Cox, a veteran member of the dental >' 'profession in New Zealand, said that Mr FowWb had done a great deal for dentistry in New Zealand, but he would j ask him to do yet more in regard to. the repeal of the present compulsory vaccina- 1 tjon law, which' he was -convinced had a/ great deal to do with the decay of chiJ' dren's j:eeth. ' OTHER ITEMS. i The delegates to; the Dental Conference were entertained last night by the Auckland Association. "Responding to the toast of /the -visitors, Mr -G. E. Pavne Ehilpotts. of' Melbourne, and Mr H. - Nicholson,,, of Queensland, suggested union between tho New Zealand and Australian Dental Societies. The Dentists'. .Association decided 1 to hold the next conference at Wellington." The following officers were r elected:-^ President, Mr Hoby : vice-president, , Mr Mantell; secretary l "Mr Hunsthouse; treasurer, Air Denniston. SHOPS AND OFFICES ACT. AUCKLAND, January Ifc At the 'Police, Court this afternoon Frederick Hitchcock was prosecuted by thf--Labour Department -for allowing a "boy named George Howes to work without' « certificate, he being tinder 15 years of aget .It was, mentioned by" the inspector thatch*ha.d warned- the .defendent, who was penal* ised to the extent of £2 arid costs. . Another shopkeeper, John -Harry Porter, pleaded guilty to having employed, tw.cv assietants , later than" the time* prescribed! by section 3 of " The Shcqas and Offices Act, 1905." After hearing the .inspector's -explanation of the case, Mr Dyer eaid th», breach was a' rather glaring one, and iiu flioted a penalty of £5 and costs.