HELP FOR THE MOTHER

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLI, Issue 9392, 14 December 1920, Page 7

HELP FOR THE MOTHER

"MATERNITY HOMES NEEDED

POSITION IN COUNTY DISTRICTS

[) The provision of better maternity facilities for women in rural districts vvas the subject, of a'letter from the Health Department received by the Ashburton Hospital Board yester- ._ day. The letter stated the board had t power to give, subject to the consent of the Minister,*a grant or subsidy to a maternity hospital. If the establish j ' ment of a maternity hospital at Ash- ' h burton were necessary, however, the . board should undertake the work as one of, its responsibilities. This step had already been taken by several r boards..with great efficiency and to the > satisfaction of those concerned. The boards in question were Otago, Napier, Whangarei, Wairau, and Ticton. The ;■ Ashburton Board -would undoubtedly be proceeding on right lines if it established a maternity ward in connection with the hospital. The same subject was touched uoon with reference to Methven. the Department'stating that.application had b«en made for the establishment of a maternity hospital in that district. That this was undoubtedly required could be seen from the report of the District Health Officer. -The provision of better facilities for maternity cases in the Put lying portions of large hospital districts' • was one of the most-.pressing hospital requirements at the'present time. Methven Conditions, j The report of the District Health I Officer, Dr. T F. Telford, on maternirv facihties at Methven stated that there was only one medical man in the district and two unlicensed nursing homes. The average number of maternity cases: m the district was 60. Means of com- j munication with Ashburton was gener- '. ally by road. No certificated midwife was available at Methven, and the' present nursing homes were closing at '* the beginning of the new year. The chairman further read a letter on the same subject-to Mrs W. T. Lill, president of tli&'Ashburton brmch [ of the W.C.T.U., who was informed by the Health Department that .a!-,! moneys collected by her society for ; maternity hospitals would bear a subsidy of 24s in the £ when handed to the Ashburton Hosptial Board for this ' purpose. Mra E. E. Hardy wrote stating that a house was available at Rakaia for leasing for-the/ -purpose- of a, nursine. home. The letter was- in answer to the Board's request that suitable accommodation be found for' the district. nurse_ when her duties took her to J , Rakaia. j 'The chairman, Mr C. Reid, suggested that|«M these matters be taken-,*' in committee. . ... Definite Policy Wanted. . Mr W. J. Dickie: disagreed, and said this opened up a very large question with regard to nursing and bespit":. accqmmodaton in County centres. It • was time the Board had a- definite, -policy on the matter. Sending a district nurse to the country was npt going to fill the need, and the Board I should go into the question of provid-• ing cottage hospitals at both ,Rakaia- ■ and Methven. Again, if the nurse- had to cycle long distances before starting her work, this was, a great disadvantage. Both the nursing homes in Methven were closing on January 1He hoped the' Board would do something in the matter. ', . Mr J. Bruce said certainly there was. work for the Board to do in the matter, but the district which wanted ■ hospital accommodation should show it was willing to help itself—for instance by supplying accommodation for nurses. The chairman said Rakaia had asked for a nurse, but it should go further and find the accommodation for the nurse when she was sent there.-In-stead there was no accommodation' 1 ' found for the nurse at Rakaia. There were other applications for maternity homes and if the Government could supply Christchureh with a maternity home it should do so in Ashburton. It was more than, the Board could face single-handed—the-1 establishment of maternity;:homes ; ;all-over .the County. But if Methven, or Rakaia, or Ashbur--ton would help themselves by subscribing money which would bear a subsidy of 24s in'the £, then the Board could consider providing 'maternity homes for these places. Further discussion on these matters was taken in"'committee on the motion of the chairman. * On, resuming in open meeting it was decided to inform' the, Ashburton • W.C.T.U., and the persons concerned at Rakaia and Methven that the Board j was in sympathy" with the establishment"^ maternity , hospitals arid recommended that these districts subscribe generously for , this; purpose, the money to carry a'Government subsidy of 24s in the £. When the money was collected, the Board would endeavour to have the matter approved by the Minister. In the meantime;; another district nurse would be secured / to be stationed at Methven, provided proper accommodation were found at Methven for the nurse.