QUARANTINE ISLAND

Otago Witness, Issue 3333, 30 January 1918, Page 18

QUARANTINE ISLAND

QUESTION OF DUAL CONTROL. (From Odb Owk Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, January 25. There haye been indications lately that iho Minister of Defence and the Minister of Public Health have not been seeing eye to eye regarding tho institutions tinder the sontro! of the Public Health Department for the treatment of returned ' soldiers. Some days ago strong criticism was directed (gainst tho conditions at Quarantine Island, Port Chalmers, where soldiers suffering from certain diseases are detained. At a meeting of the Returned Soldiers' Association at Dnnedin, replying to these comments, tho Minister of Defence is reported to have said that up to Wednesday of last week tho island had been under dual control, but was now solely within his jurisdiction, and if matters wero as represented ho promised that there would be an alteration. The Minister of Public Health has now issued for publication the following statement: —"In consequence of this statement the Minister of Public Health has requested fcha Deputy Chief Health Officer to report as to the relations of the two departments to this institution, and in reply to his questions has received the following report from that officer:—(l) Tho medical officer of the institution is Captain Borrie, a defenco officer, who also is Port Health Officer at Port Chalmers, and the only medical man resident in the town. (2) The stores ar.d other necessaries for the institution are purchased and paid for by the DofeDOO Department. (3; Tho buildings, Doing quarantine buildings, wero under the control of tho Public Health Department Until required to house the military cases, but since being - occupied by the military authorities all expenditure on tho buildings

has been borne by the Defence Department. The relationship between the two departments has been that the staffing, medical treatment, discipline, rations, and general attendance have been administered by the Defence Department, and in these matters the Public Health Depatjment has taken no direct part. It vtill therefore be seen that there has been no dual control, and that the entire responsibility for tho sanitation and other matters complained of by the Returned Soldiers' Association rests with the Defence Department."