TO HELP THE MOTHERS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 84, 19 January 1928, Page 7

TO HELP THE MOTHERS

GERMANY />ND MATERNITY BENEFITS. Durino- the recent meeting of the governing body of the International Labour Office in Berlin, the representative of the German Government made an official announcement to the effect that his Government had ratified the convention concerning the employment of women before and after childbirthThis convention was adopted at the first session of the International Labour Conference at- Washington in; 1919. It lays down that in any public or private industrial or commercial undertaking or in any branch thereof, except in undertakings where only members of the same family are employed, a woman shall not be permitted to work during the six weeks following her confinement. She shall have the right to leave her work on production of a medical certificate stating that her confinement will probably take place within six weeks. " She shall also be paid benefits sufficient for the healthy maintenance of herself and her child' during such periods of absence. The convention- further provides for free medical attendance and rest periods twice a day during working hours for nursing mothers. Germany is the first of the eight States of chief industrial, importance to ratify this convention. In some or these countries, however, the procedure of ratification has been begun. In Italy the consent of the competent authority was obtained in 1922. In Belgium and France ratification has Been recommended By the Governments. In addition, the convention has already been ratified bv Bulgaria, Chili. Greece, Latvia, Rumania, Serbia, And Spain. Ratification of the convention has also been authorised in Hungary.