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1907. NEW ZEALAND

PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT (ANNUAL REPORT OF THE).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Department of Public Health, My Loed — Wellington, 23rd August, 1907. I have the honour to transmit herewith, for Your Excellency's information, the report of the Department of Public Health for the year 1906-7. I have, &c, Geo. Fowlds, XT- -c „ ~ Tl . , TT Minister of Public Health. His Excellency the Right Hon. Baron Plunket, X.C.V.0., Governor of New Zealand.

The Chief Health Officer to the Hon. the Minister of Public Health. Sir '~" Department of Public Health, Wellington, Ist June, 1907. I have again to record my unstinted admiration of the manner in which the various officers of the Department have in their several capacities carried out their duties. The appointment of Dr. Valintine to the high position of Inspector-General of Hospitals, consequent on the death of Dr. MacGregor, has necessitated a rearrangement of the duties of several officers. Dr. Frengley lms been transferred from Auckland to Wellington, and Dr. J. S. Purdy has been appointed to the Auckland Health District. Some of the Inspectors have had fresh districts allotted to them, but there are still several weak points in our armour which must be strengthened. This, I think, can be done without increasing the number of Inspectors. The principle approved by you of subsidising local authorities whose size or revenue precludes their being able to offer sufficient monetary inducement for properly qualified Inspectors to take up the work is good, and is in accordance with colonial necessities and the procedure in older lands. The function and intention of the Department is mainly consultative. Where a lorough is large enough to need the whole time of a Sanitary Inspector the borough should unquestionably provide the Inspector's salary, but where such factors do not obtain I consider it wise that the Department should supplement in some measure the salary of any such officer appointed. To assume the actual work of effecting the abolition of all insanitary conditions throughout New Zealand would be an undeserved reflection upon the local authorities and an unfair burden upon the Central Government. To persuade, to instruct, and to help in every possible way the bringing-about of sanitary conditions is truly the work of the Department, but that it should shoulder responsibilities which have by law been cast upon the local authorities is, in my opinion, wrong.

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