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Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 41, 18 February 1931, Page 7

Evidence that the hospital boards of the North Island are concerned over the spread of tuberculosis among the Maoris was given in a letter received by the Cook Hospital Board recently, says the journal of the Hospital Boards’ Association of New Zealand. -The letter proposed the collection of reliable information as to the true degree of infection, and a conference to discuss measures to combat the disease. “My board has been somewhat concerned of late at the amount of tuberculosis prevailing amongst the Maoris in this district,” states the letter. “The board has come to the conclusion that the work now being done to combat it is hopelessly inadequate. It is believed that the natives in your district are probably affected by the disease, if not to the same extent then at least seriously enough to warrant your board’s sympathetic consideration of any scheme which may improve the present state of things. Without casting any reflections on the Health Department’s administration, I think one may say that so long as the present methods are allowed to continue, no lessening of the disease amongst the Maoris can be expected. Their peculiar traditions and temperament make for difficulties which are not met with when dealing with sickness amongst Europeans.”