COMPULSORY MEDICAL INSPECTION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2768, 24 March 1910, Page 5

COMPULSORY MEDICAL INSPECTION.

THE HEALTH OF SCHOOL CHILDREN. [Per Press Association.! WELLINGTON, March 23. “The question of the compulsory medical inspection of school children has from time to time engaged the serious attention of my Board,” remarks the chairman of the Education Board in his annual report, submitted at the meeting yesterday afternoon. “An examination of between three and four hundred children, conducted by two medical men of recognised standing, was undertaken. While the report shows that the physical condition of the children was on the whole good, there was disclosed quite a considerable number of cases of defoots preventable and remediable, but in many eases previously unrecognised. My Board is strongly of opinion that both from humanitarian educational, and national economic considerations, the establishment of a well-considered State system of medical inspection of school children is high Inadvisable, even if it be begun on a very small scale until jhe actual requirement is determined by experience. My Board is convinced that from the point of view of national efficiency, it will cost less to undertake this work than not to undertake it. It is found that the Boards of the Dominion a-re in substantial agreement, and you are aware that the more progressive Legislatures of other countries are in advance of New Zealand in this matter. Tile State inspection of schools has been undertaken in Tasmania, New South Wales, England, France, Argentina, Switzerland, Japan, and other countries.”