EXAMINATION OF RECRUITS

Southland Times, Issue 24182, 19 July 1940, Page 8

EXAMINATION OF RECRUITS

NATIONAL MEDICAL COMMITTEE , 0 PROPER SUPERVISION IN BOARDS ’ (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 18. The appointment of a National Medical Committee which was first constituted in 1936 and evolved the present procedure in use for the medical examination bf recruits for the Army, has been reaffirmed by the Minister cf Health (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong). The personnel of the committee is as follows: Dr M. H. Watt, DirectorGeneral of Medical Health (chairman), Colonel F. T. Bowerbank, DirectorGeneral of Medical Services (Army), Sir Donald McGavin, representing the British Medical Association, and F. J. Fenton (secretary). Besides advising the Government on medical matters connected with the war, other functions of the committee are to ensure that the requirements of tire Army so far as medical personnel is concerned are fully met, and that the balance between the Army and civilian needs is preserved. Medical examinations and appointments to medical boards are also controlled by the National Medical Committee.

To secure proper supervision in medical boards provision has been made for regional control by medical men who are designated regional deputies. These are responsible to the Minister of Health for the proper conduct of medical examinations. The following doctors have been appointed to act in this capacity: D. N. Murray (Auckland*), G. W. Gower (Hamilton), W. R. Wade (New Plymouth), Douglas Wilson (Wanganui), F. N. Harvey (Napier), Macdonald Wilson (Wellington), J. P. Jamieson (Nelson), C. T. Newton (Christchurch), W. H. Unwin (Timaru), R. A. Fulton (Dunedin) and A. F. Ritchie Crawford (Invercargill).