INFANT WELFARE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3034, 22 March 1917, Page 3

INFANT WELFARE

A" FORECAST OF NEW LEGISLATION. While nothing dofinito can yet bo stated regarding the • nature of the legislation dealing. with maternal and inlant welfare, which will bo undertaken by tho British Local Government Board, it may safely be said that it will be far-reaching and generous, and that any increase of expenditure, necessary in the national interest -will be met by the boarjl. It is interesting to note, in view of tho statement on._ the subject of meals for nursing and expectant mothers, that this matter will probably be dealt with at an early date, and that legislation, somewhat on tho lines of one of the recommendations of tho Departmental Committee on Food Pr'ipes in' their interim report of last September on meat, milk, and bacon, may bo oxpccted. It was recommended "that in the present emergency all local authorities should be urged to start a sufficient number of maternity .centres, baby clinics, and child nurseries, and should be empowered to provide a certain supply of mfflr to-chil-dren under the age of five and dinners to expectant and nursing mothers; that doctors in charge .of maternity centres, baby clinics, or nursery schools should be authorised l to order milk and dinners for expectant or nursing mothers, for babies that cannot bo, nursed by tha'' mother, and for children under the ago of five; and that the cost of milk as well as that of dinners to expectant and nursing mothers, if incurred at such institutions on the certificate of duly-qualified l medical men, should be.allowed as part of the expenses towards which special grants are made by the Local Government Board and tho Board of Education."

.The voluntary ' worker will bo encouraged to help the municipal authorities in carrying out all schemes, that may be formulated, and'all women who have fitted themselves for helping m this way will find themselves playing as important a part as those in the munition shops. It is interesting to note that in many parts of the country tho salaries of health visitors axe increasing, and that every day sees new appointments made.