House of Representatives
1869 Jul 07	Wednesday

Vaccination Act Amendment Bill

Mr BARFF, in moving the second reading of this
Bill, said that he had explained on introducing
it that it was intended to be simply a Bill to
amend the Vaccination Act. It had since been
deemed necessary to repeal the Bill at present
in operation, and to consolidate the law upon
the subject, so that all the provisions relating
thereto might be comprised within the compass of
a single Act. He thought such a course might very
well be taken in other cases, as it was repeatedly
found, in going through the Statute Book, that
there were many Acts and Amendment Acts relating
to one question which often caused great confusion.
He did not think there was any objection to the
principle of the Bill, and did not intend to ask
the House to go into Committee upon it before
Tuesday.

Mr BALL should not oppose the second reading, but
he considered that the Bill contained many defects,
to remedy which he should be prepared to propose
certain alterations in Committee. He wished a
provision introduced to allow vaccination  by
non-professional persons. The Bill was intended to
secure universal vaccination, but no Bill could
do that entirely. There were many persons who had
objections to the Bill, and it was desirable that
their prejudices should be met, as far as possible.
There was no provision in the Bill for the supply
of lymph, nor the vaccination of Natives. He
believed some provision had been made for the
vaccination of Natives, and it was the duty of a
gentleman in Auckland to furnish those who had
charge of the Natives with vaccine matter, but at
the same time there was nothing to compel the
Natives to be vaccinated.

Mr Dillon BELL would suggest to the honourable
member that it would be better to refer the Bill to
a Select Committee instead of a Committee of the
whole House. The question of vaccination was one
which they could hardly suppose was familiar to
honourable members generally, whereas it was of very
great importance in itself, and should be brought
under the consideration of scientific persons. If
his suggestion were adopted it would be well to
obtain the evidence of the President of the Medical
Board as to what clauses ought to be compulsory,
as it was more important that it should be in
accordance with medical science than with the
opinions entertained by the House.

Mr FOX thought it would be advisable if the
honourable member would adopt the suggestion of
the honourable member for Mataura. The Government
had a Health Bill in preparation, which bore upon
the subject, and also to some extent on quarantine.
He had not yet seen it, but if the course suggested
were adopted, there would be an opportunity of
conference upon the subject, and the Bills might
be made into one and passed through the House under
the auspices of the Government.

Mr BARFF had no objection to the course proposed
by the honourable member for Mataura, but he might
remark that the Bill had not been prepared hastily,
and many of the clauses had been submitted to the
Medical Board, which had suggested certain alterations.

The Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be
committed on Wednesday