STATE MEDICAL SERVICE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19397, 7 August 1937, Page 15

STATE MEDICAL SERVICE

PROJECT IN TASMANIA OPERATION NEXT YEAR COUNTRY AREAS FIRST (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. A State luncheon was tendered at the Grand Hotel to-day to Mr. A. G. Ogilvie, the Premier of Tasmania, and Dr. .T. F. Gaha, the Minister of Health, and senior surgeon of the Hobart Hospital, who are returning by the Monterey after the Coronation. The acting Minister of Finance, the lion. P. Fraser, arrived in Auckland this morning to represent the Government as host.

In an interview Mr. Ogilvie indicated that the British Medical Association did not loolc altogether with favour on his Government's scheme for the appointment of State medical officers m remote a entry districts. “We are making a start in January next with 10 medical officers, who will be civil servants," said Mr. Ogilvie. “If we cannot obtain the men we require in Australia we will try England. If we fail there we will have no hesitation in appointing German doctors who have been exiled because of Herr Hitler’s anti-Semitic campaign. Many of these professional men have exceedingly high qualifications and some have had brilliant careers.”

Mr. Ogilvie added that despite the opposition shown by the British Medical Association and a section of the press, the Government had gone steadily forward. It had taken no notice of criticism. The Government had received many applications from English doctors, and he was confident there would be no difficulty in making the appointments. If the scheme proved successful it was likely it would be extended to embrace the whole State. “The time has arrived for intensive public health activity in all parts of the world,” said Dr. Gaha in an interview. “There are indications that in future a large proportion of the money now spent on health will be spent on the prevention of disease. Australia and New Zealand have facilities to develop the best medical services in ihc world.