SCHOOL DENTISTRY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19830, 22 December 1919, Page 8

SCHOOL DENTISTRY.

CHIEF OFFICER APPOINTED

[From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, December 20. It is understood tlu\t the important position of chief dental officer of the Education Department, in connection with the new system of school dental inspection and treatment, has been given to Colonel T. A. Hunter, who has been at the head of the New Zealand Dental Corps,' and showed good organising ability in that capacity. The salary is £650 per annum, and there are several other dental officers to be appointed at £450 per annum to carry out the scheme.

There Ims been some comment in the dental profession over the way in which the date for closing applications was extended. _ This enabled Colonel blunter to put in his application about a day after his return to New Zealand, though there are other dental officers who did not return in time to bo considered. Another ground of criticism is that in spite of the announcement of the Public Service Commissioner that the retiring limit of sixty years was to be strictly enforced in the public service, an officer has now been appointed to an entirely new dfepartment whose ago in February will be nfty-mne, consequently ho will not have an opportunity of fully completing tho operation of the dental scheme foro he is due to retire under the age limit. When applications were called, n was mentioned ns one of the terms that applicants who were not more than middie-agecl would be preferred, llius the selection, though, not open to objection on the ground of capability, is criticised because younger men with military stgawce have, been overlooked.