"(1.) To inquire into and report upon the prevalence; of venereal disease in New Zealand.
"(2.) To inquire into and report any special reasons or causes for the existence of venereal disease in New Zealand.
"(3.) To advise as to the best means of combating and preventing venereal disease in New Zealand, and especially as to the necessity or otherwise of fresh legislation in the matter.
"The Minister of Health is anxious that the Committee should hear such evidence and representations on the above-mentioned matters as may be necessary to fully inform the Committee on the items referred to it, and with respect to which it is asked to report, and he further suggests to the Committee that the various organizations and persons likely to be interested should be notified that the Committee will, at a certain place and date, in Wellington, hear any evidence they may desire to tender."
The Committee regrets that owing to ill health Dr. Valintine, Director-General of Health, was unable to act as one of its members. His place was taken by Dr. J.P. Frengley, Deputy Director-General of Health. Unfortunately, illness also overtook Mr. Murdoch Fraser, who has been unable to attend the sittings of the Committee since the middle of August. The remaining members have been present at all sittings of the Committee, details of which are appended in the following table:—
| Places and Dates of Sittings. | Witnesses examined or Work done. |
| Wellington, 26th July, 1922 (forenoon only) | Preliminary meeting. |
| Wellington, 8th August, 1922 (forenoon only) | Dr. M.H. Watt, Director, Division of
Public Hygiene. Dr. B.F. Aldred, Officer in Charge Venereal Diseases Clinic. |
| Wellington, 9th August, 1922 (forenoon only) | Hon. Dr. W.E. Collins, M.L.C. Mr. J. Caughley, M.A., Director of Education. |
| Auckland, 17th August, 1922 | Dr. Falconer Brown, Officer in Charge
Venereal Diseases Clinic. Dr. Hilda Northcroft. Dr. Frank Macky. Dr. W. Gilmour, Bacteriologist and Pathologist, Auckland Hospital. Dr. C.E. Maguire, Medical Superintendent, Auckland Hospital. Dr. W.H. Parkes. Dr. J. Hardie Neil. Dr. R. Tracy Inglis, Medical Officer, St. Helens Hospital. Dr. E.W. Sharman, Port Health Officer. Dr. W.H. Pettit. |
| Auckland, 18th August, 1922 | Mrs. De Treeby, representing Women's
International and Political League. Dr. D.N.W. Murray, Medical Officer to Prisons Department. Mr. R.J. Pudney. Mr. Egerton Gill. Mrs. Harrison Lee Cowie. Mrs. E.B. Miller. Dr. Kenneth Mackenzie. Dr. E.H. Milsom. Dr. E. Carrick Robertson. Rev. Jasper Calder. Mr. F.L. Armitage, Government Bacteriologist. Dr. W.A. Fairclough. Dr. A.N. McKelvey, Medical Officer, Costley Home. |
| Christchurch, 29th August, 1922 | Dr. A.C. Thomson, Officer in Charge
Venereal Diseases Clinic. Dr. P.C. Fenwick. Mrs. E. Roberts, President Women's Branch, Social Hygiene Society. Mrs. A.E. Herbert. Dr. A.B. Pearson, Bacteriologist and Pathologist, Christchurch Hospital. Nurse E.M. Stringer, Health Patrol. Dr. W. Fox, Medical Superintendent, Christchurch Hospital. Dr. C.H. Upham, Port Health Officer. Dr. C.L. Nedwill, Medical Officer to Prisons Department. Dr. D.E. Currie. Dr. J. Guthrie. Dr. W. Irving, Medical Officer, St. Helens Hospital. Dr. A.C. Sandston, President, Men's Branch Social Hygiene Society. Major R. Barnes, Salvation Army Officer. Dr. A.B. Lindsay. |
| Dunedin, 31st August, 1922 | Dr. A. Marshall, Officer in Charge
Venereal Diseases Clinic. Dr. A.R. Falconer, Medical Superintendent, Dunedin Hospital. Dr. H.L. Ferguson, Dean Medical Faculty, Otago University. Dr. Emily H. Seideberg, Medical Officer, St. Helens Hospital. Dr. J.A. Jenkins. Canon E.R. Nevill, representing the Dunedin Council of Sex Education. Miss Pattrick, Director of Plunket Nursing. Mr. J.M. Galloway, representing Society for Protection of Women and Children. Dr. F.R. Riley. |
| Wellington, 12th September (forenoon only) | Dr. W. Young. Mr. T.R. Cresswell, Headmaster, Wellington College. Mr. W.W. Cook, Registrar-General. Mr. Malcolm Fraser, Government Statistician. Mr. W.D. Hunt. Rev. R.S. Gray. |
| Wellington, 13th September (forenoon only) | Dr. Frank Hay, Inspector-General of
Mental Defectives. Mrs. Henderson, Representative Women Prisoners' Welfare Society and Wellington Branch National Council of Women. Rev. Van Staveren, Jewish Rabbi. |
| Wellington, 14th September | Dr. Agnes Bennett, Medical Officer, St.
Helens Hospital. Mrs. F. McHugh, Health Patrol. Mr. F. Castle, President Pharmacy Board, and Chairman Wellington Hospital Board. Dr. D.M. Wilson, Medical Superintendent, Wellington Hospital. Mr. A.H. Wright, Commissioner of Police. Mr. W. Dinnie, ex-Commissioner of Police, representing Bible in Schools Propaganda Committee. Rev. J.T. Pinfold, D.D., representing Wellington Ministers' Association. Canon T. Feilden Taylor, appointed by the Bishop of Wellington. |
| Wellington, 15th September | Major Winton, Salvation Army. Mr. W. Beck, Officer in Charge Special Schools Branch, Education Department. Dr. D.E. Platts-Mills, representing Young Women's Christian Association. Mrs. Morpeth, representing Young Women's Christian Association. Miss Dunlop, representing Young Women's Christian Association. Mrs. Glover, Salvation Army. |
| Wellington, 26th September | Consideration of report. |
| Wellington, 10th October | Consideration of report. |
| Wellington, 12th October | Consideration of report. |
| Wellington, 13th October | Consideration of report. |
| Wellington, 18th October | Final meeting. |
It will thus be seen that, apart from time spent in travelling, the Committee have met on seventeen days and have heard seventy-four witnesses in person.
The Committee would like to express their thanks to the witnesses, many of whom had gone to considerable trouble to collect information and prepare their evidence. Thanks are also due to the British Medical Association for their willing co-operation and assistance; to the large number of members of the medical profession throughout the Dominion who responded to the Committee's request for information; to Dr. J.H.L. Cumpston, Federal Director-General of Health, Melbourne, for much Australian information on the subject, particularly in relation to Commonwealth quarantine provisions; to Dr. Everitt Atkinson, Commissioner of Public Health, Perth, West Australia, for a most lucid and informative report on the working of the legislation in force in that State; and to many other persons who by means of correspondence and literature have placed at the Committee's disposal a large amount of information which has been of material assistance in considering various aspects of the problems involved.
The Committee desire to acknowledge their indebtedness to their secretary, Mr. C.J. Drake, whose wide knowledge of public-health matters has been of material assistance in their investigations and who has discharged his duties with marked zeal and ability.