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United Kingdom and other lands where the appointment of such officers is considered an essential part of the service. That some sixty thousand children have been examined completely, and some sixty thousand more examined for more important defects, speaks for itself as to the energies of the School Medical Officer, and in that connection it is especially encouraging to note that the medical treatment of school-children is now more assuredly brought about as the result of the reports of the School Medical Officers. Of special interest are the comments in connection with the results from tooth-brush drill, which, was initiated by Dr. Gunn, Medical Officer of Schools for the Wanganui district. It is fortunate that Dr. Gunn was able to enlist the sympathy of her Education Board, not only in this matter, but also in the establishment of a camp for children under tho ordinary standard of nutrition, and with such excellent results. Nursing. There are some matters of special interest in the report of the Director, Division of Nursing. There is no doubt that there should be reciprocity in registration of nurses throughout the Empire. The need for some such system of reciprocity need not, however, be laboured ; the necessity for such becomes every day more apparent. Now that the Nurses Registration Act has at last come into force in the United Kingdom we are anxiously awaiting the initiative of those responsible in the Mother-country in this direction. The same may also be said of the registration of midwives. It is not reasonable that midwives from the United Kingdom should, on a certificate of having passed an examination after three or six months' training, expect registration in New Zealand, where we only allow a pupil to go up for examination in midwifery on produoing evidence of twelve months' training in a recognized maternity school. We have already informed the Central Midwives Board that we will not recognize or register midwives from the United Kingdom who cannot produce evidence of an equivalent length of training. It is to be regretted that the Nurses Superannuation Act has had to be postponed, but those of us who have been striving for years in this direction are confident that the public at last is determined to sec justice done this very deserving class of public servants. Dental Hygiene. The very modest report of Mr. Hunter, Director of the Division of Dental Hygiene, only briefly outlines the excellent work of this, the most recently established branch of this Department-. Any one visiting the dental clinic in Whitmore Street could hardly fail to be struck by the tenderness and skill with which this very delicate work is carried out, and even those who are opposed to the scheme of State dental nurses would have to admit that thorough measures- only too often necessary to clean up neglected mouths —could hardly be conducted with more care and skill than by these nurses, under the supervision of Mr. Hunter and his enthusiastic assistants. I think that there are few parents who would object to pay tho small fees necessary to ensure that this most important work in the interests of the health of their children, and the community generally, be not curtailed by lack of skilled operators and their necessary equipment. Maoiu Hygiene. "We understand the Maori and he understands us." In these words Dr. Te Rangi Hiroa represents the results of his excellent work among his compatriots. With him, almost solely, has rested the initiative of the reorganization of the old Maori Health Councils established under the Health Act of 1900. Under the Health Act of 1920 Dr. Te Rangi Hiroa has been able to arrange that the Councils controlling Maori health districts should be administered through the Department. By these means a great work has been accomplished in the interests of the health of our Maori countrymen. Excellent work has also been done under the direction of Dr. To Rangi Hiroa as regards antityphoid inoculation of the Natives. Comparatively little enteric is now reported amongst the, Natives as compared with a few years ago. The Maoris are, as Dr. Te Rangi Hiroa says, generally speaking, amenable to prophylactic treatment, except where they come under the influence of the ignorant pakehas. It is also a triumph to Dr. Te Rangi Hiroa and his predecessor, Sir Maui Pomare, whom His Majesty has been pleased to honour, that owing to their example and advice the general health of the Maori has been so improved that an increase of 6 per cent, is recorded in the population returns, and the fact that during recent large gatherings, or huis, where some thousands of the Maoris were congregated together, not the slightest fault could be found with the sanitary arrangements, " and the organization would have done credit to any military camp." SECTION 4.—BOARD OF HEALTH, ETC. During the year Mr. T. F. Martin resigned his position as a member of the Board of Health, representing the New Zealand Municipal Association, and his place was taken by Mr. R. A Wright, M.P., Mayor of Wellington. Five meetings of the Board were held during the year, and much important business was transacted. In the exercise of its powers, under section 22 of the Health Act, the Board issued requisitions upon six local bodies calling upon them to undertake various sanitary works, some of which were of considerable dimensions. In such cases the Department follows up the matter to see that the local body gives due attention to the Board's requisition.