THE OBSTETRICAL APPEAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 151, 8 April 1930, Page 4

THE OBSTETRICAL APPEAL.

Sir, —As many residents of this town and country have contributed generously to the appeal of the New Zealand Obstetrical Society’s Endowment Fund, I feel that a reply is necessary to the letter signed “Donator”, and published in the “Ashburton Guardian.” The remarks made by Mr Lill at the Ashburton County Council meeting not only are incorrect, but belittle 'an appeal of national significance. The fund that the Society is attempting to raise is for the endowment of the chair of midwifery and gynaecology at Otago University Medical School, for the training and instruction of every student of medicine who will be trained in New Zealand. As has been stated on every possible occasion, Professor Riley, the present teacher of these important subjects, who has worthily held a part-time professorship for 25 years, will retire this year, and his position must bo filled. It is considered an opportune time to remove many of the disabilities under which he has worked, by appointing a full-time professor of eminence, at a salary that "will attract the best men. This the New Zealand University Council cannot afford to do, and the New Zealand Obstetrical Society has undertaken the campaign to #aise an endowment fund of £25,000, which will he subsidised pound for pound by the Government. The students of medicine trained in Dunedin (the only Medical School in New Zealand) are the future doctors of our country, and if the quality of the teaching is determined by financial stringency, the motherhood of our country must suffer. This, by the generosity of many private donors, we are in a' fair way to prevent. Any effort brought forward to reduce the maternal mortality in our Dominion is one worthy of generous and general support. It is to assure those donors of the importance and worthiness of the cause to which they have contributed that 1 would be grateful if you would publish this letter.

P. D. B. WELLS,

President Ashburton Branch New Zealand Obstetrical Endowment Fund.