HELP FOR MOTHERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 210, 6 September 1938, Page 9

HELP FOR MOTHERS.

SOCIAL SECURITY « SCHEME. INCREASE TN BIRTH-RATE. It was hoped that the maternity benefits offered in the Government's social security scheme would result in an increase in the birth-rate of the Dominion, said Mr. A. G. Osborne, M.P. for Manukau, in an address to women supporters of the Epsom-Royal Oak branch of the Labour party yesterday. There was a large attendance and Mrs. M Newton presided.

Mr.- -Osborne said that motherhood endowments, visualised by Labour supporters 20 years ago, would become established under the new legislation. Young people would be entitled to the benefits of the scheme from the time of their first contribution. Widows' allowances would be helpfully reorganised, and within a year the scheme would have something to offer everybody, irrespective of income. The claim that £7,000,000 was at present paid annually for medical expenses by New Zealanders, and that this sum would fOrm the major part of the fund to provide universal services under the scheme, was referred to by Mr. Osborne. " Where is the money coming from is the parrot cry of wen and women who have been speaking on behalf of the conservative philosophy for many years," he said. "It will come from the production of the nation, the same as for all State services that have been 1 made available to the people. The scheme will remove the anxiety of people who have been unable to afford health .services in the past, and any universal service that is good enough for the poor should be good enough for the rich." A motion of confidence in the member and the Government was carried by acclamation at the close of the meeting, j