Report of the Commission of Public Health to the Minister of Public Health / Department of Public Health, Victoria.

  • Victoria. Commission of Public Health.
Date:
[1977]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Report of the Commission of Public Health to the Minister of Public Health / Department of Public Health, Victoria. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    49/52 (page 49)
    Several local and imported wines were submitted for pesticide analysis and estimation. Opened bottles of spirit tested :— Whisky Australian .. .. 607 Imported .. .. 1,574 Brandy Australian .. .. 560 Imported .. .. 230 Gin Australian .. .. 389 Imported .. .. 167 Rum Australian .. .. 283 Imported .. .. 452 Vodka Australian .. .. 281 Imported .. 25 Schnapps .. Australian .. 18 Imported .. 2 Tequila Imported .. 1 4,589 Of the 4,589 tested 17 were found not to comply with the alcoholic strength for that particular brand of spirit examined. As there was insufficient for analysis in each case the licensee was warned and the contents of the bottles disposed of into the sink. All spirits examined for alcohol strength were found to be within the minimum strength required under the Food and Drug Standards Regulations. Testing for draught beer was carried out in all hotels visited. All were found within the alcoholic range as brewed, and all complied with the minimum strength for beer under the Food and Drug Standards Regulations. FREE TRAVEL TO HOSPITALS. During the year under review there was a large decrease in the number of applications received compared with the previous year. (17,853 compared with 29,508—a decrease of 11,655). Of those, 17,772 were issued with free rail vouchers and/or tram tickets to attend a public hospital for treatment. The remaining 81 were rejected as the applicants either failed to qualify as “ persons of similar limited means to a pensioner ”, were not attending approved institutions, were visiting patients, or proposed to use other than public transport. The grant allocated to the Free Travel Section for 1976-77 was $155,000 compared with $140,000 for the year 1975-76. The total expenditure was $154,574. Refunds were granted to 32 applicants. CEMETERIES. 758 public cemeteries and private burial grounds are now listed in the records of the Com¬ mission of Public Health. Several enquiries were received during the year concerning the establishment of private burial grounds and one is being proceeded with at present. The trend towards the establishment of lawn burial sections in existing cemeteries continued, with numerous Cemetery Trusts developing such sections. Reduced maintenance costs and a more acceptable appearance are the main reasons behind this growing trend. Maintenance grants totalling $15,000 were allocated to cemeteries whose income was thought insufficient to maintain their reserves. The present economic climate has shown that these grants are losing their value and an increase in the total allocation would enable more suitable grants to be made in some instances. The Trust of the Fawkner Crematorium and Memorial Park received approval to borrow $500,000 to finance the reconstruction of the existing crematorium complex. During the year new licences to sign Confirmatory Certificates for Cremation were issued to nineteen medical practitioners and to date 467 licences have been issued. A total of 27 licences to exhume the remains of bodies were issued, compared with eighty-three in the previous year.