NEW HEALTH DISTRICT.

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19648, 7 August 1935, Page 8

NEW HEALTH DISTRICT.

HEADQUARTERS AT HAMILTON. SCHEME INAUGURATED. Colonel F. W. W. Dawson, recently appointed officer in charge of tho newly-formed Waikalo-King Country health district, arrived in'Hamilton yesterday from Christchurch to take over lis new duties. A suite of offices on Hie upper floor of tlie A.M.P. buildings in Victoria Street lias been taken over by the department and early steps will lie taken to prepare it, for occupation by Dr. Dawson and the district staff. Tho Minister of Health,' Sir Alexander Young, in making the announcement of tho change in administration to a Waikato Times reporter early in July said that the principle had been to select a suitable area and place it under the control of a medical officer who, together with his staff of inspectors and nurses, undertook within tho area the whole of the public health functions of the department. The system had the merit of bringing tho unit of control nearer to the homes of the people concerned and ensured more direct and continuous personal contact.

The new plan of organisation was first introduced on the East Coast of the North Island. It has since been extended lo North Auckland and Taranaki. The Waikato is the one remaining area with a large, Maori population which had not been brought under this system. Formerly this area was controlled by a Medical Officer of licallh, having headquarters in Auckland, tho schools in tho district being visited periodically by a School Medical Officer from the same centre.