COMFORTS OF LIFE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2974, 11 January 1917, Page 3

COMFORTS OF LIFE

, FIELDS OF STATE ENTERPRISE. ■ .The-Minister-of Public Health (the' 'Hon. G. W. llussell) told tho Hospitals Conference yesterday that he" desired to establish maternity wards in connection with all our hospitals in or'der to cheapen the cost of parentage 'for tho mass of the people. This scheme, would not apply to. towns, 'where there were St.' Helens Homes'. ■He hoped hospital boards would ar'range for this. It was a. State - responsibility, and boards, should'be repaid by the State. . The. .Minister .went on to. say. that he wondered if the far-distant country districts were receiving their due in view of tho large sums ofo money they were compelled to raise. He had no objection to strong, efficient base hospitals, but he could not shut his eyes to the fact that there were cases where people in the backhlocks got very ■little assistance from those institutions, 'although they were T&ted for their upkeep. He asked the conference to consider whether it would not bo desirable to establish more cottage hospitals in charge of capable nurses. That would often render a. long journey unnecessary.

A delegate: Tho difficulty.is to gefc the nurses. ■ ■-.•-.■

. Mr. Russell: Wo must train them. Another delegate: They won't practice in the country.,..'. ~' , .

Mr. Enssell": My experiencd- is that .you can got anything' you want if you are prepared to pay for it.

Mr. 'Russell said he was referring to ■tho hackblocks of'tho North Island, miles from the railways, where they bad to put patients on. horses and thus convey them long distances, or had to carry people long. distances. If they wanted tho clpss of people all wished to see on tho land thoy must provide, out of the funds of the State, some of the comforts of life.

-At Parnell recently Miss S. Byan, of Remuera, was married to Lieut. J. D. Burgess, now in camp at Trenthani. Lieut. Burgess is the eldest son of Mr. J. G. Burgess, Buakini, Waikato. Tho bride, who was given away by her brother, was attired, in a costume of bluo French, satin, with touches of gold and smart hat of same shade, lined with pink. Tho travelling dresß consisted of creme Raberdene and hat in grey ninon and rose. The bridegroom was accompanied by Captain C. P. Byan,.- 0.0. Twenty-sixth Reinforcements, as best man, and the bridesmaids were Nurse A. Burgess and Miss D. Byan.

. An enthusiastic believer in the openair sleeping-rooni informs "Good Health" that he has built, a bed chamber perched on four strong iron pipes, which rise 40ft. above the ground; and he declares that the air is lOdeg. cooler and more pure than it is in the ordinary room of any dwelling. t

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