H.—3la

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Special Committees. Attached to the central bureau and the ward depots, as may be required, the following Committees should be appointed : — (I.) For the care of children, the aged, and disabled persons. (2.) To take charge of the supply and dispensing of medicines and nursing requisites. (3.) To supervise arrangements for kitchens, food-supplies, clothing, and general distribution. (4.) To attend to all required arrangements re burials. Medical and Nursing Services. In agreement with the British Medical Association, doctors will be allotted to each ward district, and special requirements of service dealt with through the central bureau. Similar methods will apply to trained nurses by agreement with the Nursing Association. Keeping of Records. Each central and sub-bureau to appoint a Recording Clerk, who shall keep full and exact records of all cases, visits paid, assistance given, and general transactions of the Committees within its district. General Instructions and Information. 1. Each ward may be divided into blocks, and a group of workers allotted to each block, in order to expedite attention, to cases arising and prevent needless travelling and possible overlapping of services. 2. All block groups of workers shall report and be responsible to their Ward Committee. Each Ward Committee shall similarly report to its Subdistrict Committee. All Subdistrict Committees shall report to the District Health Officer of their district, and all such officers shall report to the Chief Health Officer of the Dominion. 3. All calls for doctors and nurses within a city or chief town shall be received and dealt with by the central bureau, and within adjoining boroughs and town districts through the sub-bureaux acting in close co-operation with the central bureau. 4. All sub-bureaux and ward depots shall report constantly to the central bureau as to calls received. 5. The central bureau to supply the ward depots each morning, and as frequently in addition as is required, lists of cases reported, with any other information useful for the use of the doctors and nurses. 6. The duties of all voluntary workers engaged in the central bureau, subbureau, ward depots, and in special services to be classified and specifically allotted. 7. Central bureau : Provide a fairly large central bureau, to receive all calls for assistance of any kind. This central bureau would be the centre of the whole local organization to combat the epidemic, and some person in charge of each branch of work would be in attendance to arrange for prompt action in every matter respecting which the bureau received a call. 8. Nurses and home assistants : Compile a roll of all women willing to help in any capacity in homes of the sick or in hospitals. Such helpers should be classified — (a) certificated nurses, (6) women able to do unskilled nursing, (c) women willing to help in patients' homes generally. The roll should also specify whether the persons could give their services at once, or whether such services would be contingent upon their being released from business. With respect to home nursing, classes could be formed at once for the general instruction of untrained nurses, which would be valuable even if there is no recurrence of the epidemic. 9. Bureau, transport, and general assistance : A similar roll should be prepared with regard to men, specifying the nature of the assistance they could give and under what conditions. 10. Supplies : (a.) Medicines—Prescriptions of, say, three or four standard remedies should be agreed upon by the medical men and given to the wholesale druggist firms, who would supply required quantities at a few hours' notice. (b.) Supply of masks should be made speedily available, sufficient for all epidemic workers in the meantime. The Public Health Department will provide specimen