Health Committee's report / City of Melbourne.

  • Melbourne (Vic.). Health Committee.
Date:
[1946]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Health Committee's report / City of Melbourne. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    1/32 (page 1)
    CITY OF MELBOURNE r REPORT OF THE HEALTH COMMITTEE FOR THE YEAR 1946 MEMBERS OF COMMITTEE Councillor Boulton (Chairman) Councillor Coleman Councillor Holland Councillor Marks Councillor E. L. Morton Councillor Sir Harold Gengoult Smith The Health Committee submits for the information of the Council a report regarding the work carried out under the direction of the Committee during the year ended 31st December, 1946. REPORTS OF OFFICERS A report by the Medical Officer of Health (Dr. John Dale) upon the work of the Health Department during 1946, and upon the health of the inhabitants of the City generally, is attached hereto, together with reports by Dr. Hilda Kincaid upon child welfare work, by Dr. Hilda Bull upon infectious diseases, by Mr. T. G. 0. Jordan, the Chief Health Inspector, on the routine work of the Department, by Messrs. Dunn, Son & Stone, City Analysts, by Mr. Reeve, Dental Officer, upon the work of dental centres at Kensington and North Carlton, and by Mr. A. A. Ferris, Senior Bacteriologist of the Bacteriology Department, University of Melbourne Full details of the various health activities of the Council are contained in these reports. CHILD WELFARE The report of Dr. Hilda Kincaid upon the work of the child welfare branch gives details of the year’s activities, and statistics for the year include two records, the highest number of births, 2,033, and the lowest infantile mortality rate ever recorded. The figure for infant mortality for the City, 23.1, is much lower than that for the whole State, 27.1, and is considerably below the average figure for Greater Melbourne, 27.0. Dr. Kincaid’s report includes an interesting discussion on the benefits of kindergartens and the influence of the kindergarten and of the home respectively on the well-being of the child. The two scholarships offered by the Council to encourage girls to enter the Kindergarten Training College for training as kindergarten teachers to staff City kindergartens, attracted 25 applicants of good personality and ability. It is gratifying to report that, as from the 14th July, 1946, the State Government increas¬ ed its rates of subsidy payable in respect of nurses employed in infant welfare centres in the City of Melbourne. The amounts payable to the Council in respect of seven full-time nurses and two part-time nurses employed in infant welfare centres has been increased from £1,155 to £1,500. The Government subsidy was previously paid at the rate of £165 per nurse per annum, but the new scale provides for the payment of £200 per annum for each nurse employed full time and amounts ranging from £20 per annum to £120 per annum for part-time nurses. The State Government also, as from the 1st January, 1946, increased its subsidy of £4 per annum per child for kindergartens to £6 per annum per child; £4 per annum per child is paid by the Free Kindergarten Union of Victoria to the local Committees of Management, Hopetoun and Lady ITuntingfield Free Kindergartens, and the increased subsidy of £2 is paid to the Council by the Free Kindergarten Union of Victoria and is credited to the Council’s portion of cost of maintenance.