"MAY BE A BATTLE."

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 174, 25 July 1930, Page 5

"MAY BE A BATTLE."

WOMEN DEFEND ST. HELENS.

TRAINING OF MEDICAL STUDENTS.

DEPUTATION TO MINISTERS

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, Thursday.

Strong opposition to the use of St. Helens hospitals as clinics for the training of students in midwifery was voiced by a deputation from women's organisations which completely filled the Cabinet room this morning. Mr P. Fraser, M.P., introduced the deputation, and Mrs. F. Hay said the deputation stood solidly behind the ioilowing resolution passed at a recent meeting—"This meeting of women calls on the Government to take such action as will ensure that the St. Helens hospitals shall be devoted to the purpose for which they were founded, namely, that the homes shall be retained for mothers of moderate means and for the training of midwives and maternity nurses, and not as clinics for the training of medical students, and that these homes be kept under State control." Mrs. Hay said St. Helens hospitals were hospitals for the wives, of men of moderate means, not as a training ground for medical students. "This may be a skirmish at the moment," the speaker added, "but it may be a battle later on."

1 Mrs. A. Me Vicar said a mother in a St. Helens home should have just as much privacy as the mother in the most expensive private hospitals in the country. "Why pitch on St. Helens?" she asked. "We might well ask whether all the other private hospitals in New Zealand are going to be invaded in the same manner? (Hear, hear.)_ I say again we strongly protest against this invasion of St. Helens. Hands off St. Helens! Parliament will have to have a say in the matter." (Applause.)

The Prime Minister replied that the feelings of those who had to use the hospitals would be very seriously considered by the Government, and the Minister of Health promised to give a written reply to the various points raised.

The Minister of Health, the Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, said the alteration in policy had not been a recent growth, as it dated back to 1918. The policy had been pursued because on the facts presented to him it seemed to be the thing to do. However, he would consider the representations and submit a reply in writing. It was the professional medical man who was attending to the majority of the maternity cases, and that fact had to be taken into consideration. While in the past midwives were trained for that work, hundreds of them were not now in practice, and did not intend to practice.