THE MEDICAL CONGRESS

Otago Witness, Issue 3806, 22 February 1927, Page 29

THE MEDICAL CONGRESS

PREVENTIVE WORK THE KEYNOTE SYDNEY’, February 15. Sir James Barrett, on his return from Dunedin, said that the Medical Congress was a great success. The celerity and thoroughness with which the programme was prepared and the immense amount of trouble taken by the New Zealand medical profession were notable-features. The dominant note of the congress was the attention given by the medical profession to preventive work. Sir James Barrett paid a warm tribute to the University Home Science School in Dunedin, which, he said, was presided over by a woman professor of great administrative ability. New Zealand was the only British country south of the line that was training girls in this way. A fact of equal interest, said Sir James Barrett, was that New Zealand had passed a Town Planning Act, and appointed a Town Planning Board, which proposed to tackle the subject successfully and thoroughly. It was rather remarkable that this should be done in a country of small cities, whereas Melbourne and Sydney were still talking about it. “Another feature which impresses one,” continued the speaker, “is the fact that one-ninth of New Zealand is under forest, and the authorities are increasing that area. In the grounds at Rotorua are planted 80,000,000 trees, so that when the inevitable shortage of wood.;comes here Australia will have to look to New Zealand for its supplies. Another fact of interest to Australia is that the opossum' is spreading throughout New Zealand, and is likely to become a very profitable source of revenue. It seems to have taken very kindly to its new home.”