PhD Thesis - ResearchSpace@Auckland - The University of Auckland

school year by the Public Health nurse. 14 In 1947 19,684 Maori children were
immunised against typhoid, in 1949, 18,059 and in 1954, 24,658. 15
The programme ran into trouble in 1948 when the legality of this enterprise and
liability of those involved came into question. Rising literacy levels and
improvements in environmental standards in Maori communities, coupled with the
decrease in typhoid cases, led some Maori to question the necessity for the injections,
particularly when they were not routinely given to Pakeha children. By 1948 in the
Hamilton Health District, Maori parents were refusing to allow their children to be
immunised against typhoid in mixed schools when Pakeha children did not also
receive the injection. 16 It was suggested that a colour line was being drawn. 17 ‘Some
parents object on this ground only and refuse to listen to reason.’ 18 In Dargaville,
Mrs Te Whaite, speaking on behalf of all Maori parents, complained that ‘the Typhoid
inoculation of Maori children only is a downright racial discrimination and slur on the
Maori people’ and she added that her children had been done without permission. 19
Miss Maher, the District Health nurse, described this woman as ‘antagonistic’ and
‘difficult over injections’ and commented ‘I feel that her attitude especially in regard
to Typhoid injections is influencing the Maoris of the area to a great extent’. 20 The
Health Department tried to counteract this problem by pointing out to tribal
committees when objections had been raised that ‘typhoid fever is much more
common amongst Maoris’ and emphasising that ‘in some Maori districts many pakeha
parents ask that their children should be given the advantage of the injections also’. 21
Nevertheless, most Pakeha knew virtually nothing about typhoid immunisations and
TAB vaccine, as a witticism in the House by John S. Stewart, Member for Arch Hill,
illustrated only too clearly: ‘To most people the letters “T.A.B.” stood for one thing
only, and he would like to know whether the reference in the report was to an anti-
betting virus, or something to stimulate betting’. 22
14
MOH Gisborne to DGH, 5 February 1947, H1 144/24 20094, T.A.B. Vaccine, ANZ, Wellington.
15
Appendices to the Journals of the House of Representatives (AJHR), 1948, H-31, p.22, 1950, H-31,
p.56, 1955, H-31, p.58.
16
MOH Hamilton to DGH, 13 December 1948, ABQU 632 W4415/263 13/4/1, ANZ, Wellington.
17
C. P. Bates to Secretary, Education Board, Wanganui, 4 June 1948, ibid.
18
R. Royal to Minister of Health, 24 June 1949, ibid.
19
J. L. Newman to DGH, 20 October 1949, ibid.
20
ibid.
21
T. C. Lonie to R. Heremaia, 14 April 1949, ibid.
22
New Zealand Parliamentary Debates (NZPD), 1952, 298, p.1686.
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