EXTRA FOOD PERMITS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 94, 21 April 1944, Page 4

EXTRA FOOD PERMITS

AVOIDING EMBARRASSMENT , FOR APPLICANTS MATTER TAKEN UP BY M.P. Complaint by a member of the medicai profession in Wanganui, that procedure adopted by the authorities in regard to the issue 0° permits to purchase extra food caused undue embarrassment to certain classes of people, has been taken up by Mr. J. B. Cotterill, M.P., for Wanganui, with a view to finding some improvement in procedure. Mr. Cotterill approached the Rationing Controller, Mr. J. E. Thomas, Wellington, who has replied as follows: "The procedure that we have adopted in this connection, which necessitates the recording on the medical certificates of the nature oi the ailment, js one that, is followed in both England and Australia, and has been adopted in New Zealand on the recommendation of the Health Department. Our difficulty in dealing with this matter arises irom the fact that, in the case ol some of the commodities, particularly eggs, the supplies are so limited that if all cases submitting medical certificates were included in the priority distribution, there would be no eggs in the main venires for general distribution, and even th e priority distribution would also, at times, be in jeopardy. "I may add that the medical certificates are treated in the strictest confidence by rationing officers, and, in any special case where the patient is not. desirous of disclosing the nature of the complaint to a rationing officer, provision has been made whereby such documents can be forwarded direct to me. I can assure you that, so far as this office is concerned, the greatest secrecy is maintaned because such applications are dealt with only by senior executives and the possibility of leakage is, therefore, less than it would be in a hospital where the patient’s casehistory is often available to all and sundry of the lay staff in the hospital.” the larger towns, such as Marton, Taihape and Raetihi. He will also inspect Maori pas end co-operate with health officers and native nurses. Any cases of suspected tuberculosis would be investigated, in addition to which Dr. Priest would carry out a detailed survey of the whole of the board’s area.

After furthe • discussion the board unanimously agreed to taking over its share of the Otaki sanatorium.