DOMESTIC AID

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 237, 6 October 1945, Page 9

DOMESTIC AID

EXTENSION OF SERVICE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION Parliamentary Reporter. WELLINGTON, this day. The possibility of a decision being reached by Cabinet next week on a plan for an extended domestic aid service was mentioned by the Minister of Health, Mr. Nordmeyer, in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon. Mr. Acland (Nat., Temuka) had inquired the purpose of a vote of £5000 in the Health Department estimates for domestic service. The Minister ' said that, as announced last year, the Government had introduced a scheme for the purpose of ensuring that organisations such as the Women's Division of the Farmers' Union were subsidised to enable them to extend their domestic help service. "A plan is at present before the Government," added Mr. Nordmeyer, "and I am hoping Cabinet decision will be reached early next week, which will extend considerably this scheme and will make certain Government Department responsible for the provision of a scheme, at any rate in the cities and large towns."

In answer to Mr. Acland, the Minister said that the £5000 vcte was only a token amount, because it was not known when the" scheme .would be operating. Only experience Vould reveal just what it would cost, but it was thought there should be some provision so that a start could be made.

The district nursing scheme was extended, said the Minister, and it was hoped that many of the nurses, en their discharge from the Services, would be available fbr that work, for which they were well qualified and would be available to care for people who otherwise would have to occupy hospital beds.