PORT INSPECTIONS

Taranaki Daily News, 17 March 1932, Page 3

PORT INSPECTIONS

PASSING THE DOCTOR. MODIFICATION PROPOSED. The troublesome process of conducting health inspections before overseas vessels berth, in New Zealand ports may shortly be relaxed as far as visitors from Australia are concerned, and the formalities may be caried out after berthing. A report indicating that such a change was likely was presented to the last meeting of the Board of Health in Wellington by the Director-General of Health, Dr. M. H. Watt. He stated that it was hoped to inaugurate medical inspection after berthing at some convenient time. In the event of sickness on vessels, or should epidemic conditions exist in Australia, the inspection would be carried out in the stream as at present. The proposal was approved by the Board of Health. New Zealand is one of the few advanced countries in the world which clings to inspections before berthing. The delays involved have been remarked on rather critically by travellers. Many tourists have complained bitterly of the necessity for rising early in New Zealand ports and waiting in queues while the vessel swings at anchor. The procedure of passing the doctor is dispensed, with entirely in Sydney. Great Britain has no system of individual medical examination for entrants. Opinion has been strongly in favour of shortening the formalities m New Zealand. The proximity of. Australia, the readiness with which sickness on a vessel can be notified by wireless, and the ease with which health authorities in the Dominion and in the Commonwealth can co-operate, render the lengthy harbour inspection unnecessary in the view of both travellers and many medical experts. . „ .. e j.i Apparently the modification of the procedure will not apply to passenger vessels from Great Britain and San Francisco. The fact that no port is touched between Australia and New Zealand reduces the avenues through which epidemics can be introduced into New Zealand, and the complication of keeping a check on any contacts from interim ports does not arise.