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which should make him able to weigh and balance evidence
involved in any course of action with a due regard to the
benefit of the community. In this connection, too, I would
like to point out that he is the only chief official enjoying
security of tenure, so that in this district he is enabled to
act with more impartiality than would be possible under
other circumstances.
I regret it is my unpleasant but obligatory duty to
refer to the friction that has taken place, and in doing so
it will be necessary for me to relate plain facts. I do so,
however, with the more confidence as it is a matter, which
although affecting me personally, in a far greater measure
involves the whole policy of the Public Health Administration
of this town.
In 1909 I was unanimously appointed whole-time
Medical Officer, after having been eleven years in the
service of the Council as a part-time official. Since the
middle of 1910 there has been a series of troubles, due, in
my opinion, to efforts made to limit or abolish my sphere
of action. The obvious duty of a whole-time official is to
devote more attention to the detailed administration of his
department than he is able to do as a part-time officer.
In going into things it appeared to me that drainage
matters were not being conducted on sound lines, and
therefore I graduallv gave these more attention as necessity
arose. What was the result? An effort was made to
compel me to carry out personally the duties of Medical
Inspection of School Children. It was quite clearly laid
down in my agreement with the Council and the Local
Government Board that I was not myself to be expected to
carry out this work; an agreement specially held back for
the Solicitor-Clerk to revise and approve. In spite of this,
however, I was compelled to prove to the Council the