VACCINATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9322, 24 August 1908, Page 3

VACCINATION.

+. DEPUTATION TO THE HON GEORGE FOWLDS. [Prom Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, August 22. A deputation of members of Parliament waited on the Hon George Fowlds this morning with a request that vaccination should be made optional, and that the compulsory clauses of the Act should be repealed. The members of the deputation quoted figures to show that the Act was being disregarded, and that not one child in every fifteen born was vaccinated. In the course of his reply the Minister of I udlic Health said that vaccination was not compulsory in' N«Jw Zealand, because the law provided that any person could secure exemption on application. The position at present, however, was that very few people were either getting their children -vaccinated or applying for exemption. He proposed to abolish the charge of two shillings and sixpence made for exemption certificates, because there was a savour of compulsion about that. Some magistrates had taken an altogether erroneous view of their duties in the matter. The clear intention of Parliament had been that exemption should be granted to any person who claimed to have conscientious objections, but some magistrates had tried to interpret what were conscientious objections. That was altogether wrong, and he I hoped that in future magistrates would give effect to the intention^ of Parliament, which had been that anyone should be able to secure exemption. If exemption could be secured without charge it was not unreasonable to require people to apply for exemption. If the charge were removed and the magistrates properly interpreted their duties then he would urge universal enforcement of the law. Tt was perfectly absurd for magistrates to talk of the need for power to force the vaccination of children. He would not countenance any such proposal. The non-compliance with the law lay not in failing to vaccinate but in failing cither to vaccinate or secure exemption, and the offence could occur only once. ___^ ____