HELPING THE MOTHERS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 254, 21 July 1920, Page 8

HELPING THE MOTHERS

THE CHILDREN'S NURSERY GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE ' ASKED _ Representatives of tlie Women's National Reserve interviewed the Minister of Public Health and Education (Mr. .Purr) yesterday, to ask for a subsidy in aid of the children's nursery established by the reserve in Newtown. The deputation, which was introduced by Mr. G. Mitchell, M.P., consisted of Jlesdames Porter, Findlay, Sleeman, and Corliss, the Hon. Dr. Collins, and Mr. L. 0. H. Tripp.

Iks. Sleeman said that the nursery had been established to help mothers who were unable to obtain domestic assistance in times of sickness. Only children whoso mothers were ill or confined to bed in childbirth were admitted. Many urgent and almost piteous cases had been relieved already, and the demands upon the nursery' proved that it was required. When only partially equipped in February, the'nursery hail been obliged to tako soven urgent coses. Accommodation was provided now for twenty children, and during tho last five or six months there had been forty-one admissions. Twenty cases were booked for entrance, and urgent casual eases arose frequently. The fee was based upon the father's income, 15s. a week teing the maximum, and children were kept only one month except when necessity, demanded a longer-term. Tho nursery had a permanent staff of four, with two trained nursos at the head, and other help was obtained as required. A house had been leased with option of purchase, and a few' hundred pounds had been raised by gifts, but some additional financial assistance was required for tho I first year at least.

Mrs. Corliss spoke of the benefits that the nursery conferred on both mothers and children. Women /who were entering St. Helens Hospital ofien had the utmost difficulty in arranging for the care of young children, and they were burdened with, anxiety at a time when they needed all tneir strength, In other tnses sick mothers had to care for young children, with 'the result that the recovery of the mothers was- retarded, and the children suffered. The nursery could help in such cases.

Dr. Collins said that he had visited the nursery, and regarded it as suitable for its purpose. It was doing good work. If the' infants were not cared for in -the institution, they would he living under much less satisfactory conditions in their homes, where the illness or absence of the mother made proper care almost impossible. Mr. Tripp said that ha had found the need for such a nursery in the course of his work as chairman of the War Belief Association. Many applications for assistance of the kind given by the nursery came before the association, which" had spent some hundreds of Hounds giving assistance to mothers. The Government had an excellently run institution in St. Helen? EospHal, but provision obviously was required for the care of young children while ■the mother was in the hospital. The Government required to go a step further, and the Women's National Beserve had pointed the way. Dr. Collins added that the medical profession was entirely in sympathy with the work that was being l done at the nursery. Mr. Parr replied that he had been very interested to hear what the nursery was doing. The scheme was another proof of the awakening of the'social conscience. The 'interests of the State demanded that the work of the wife and the mother should be made easier; he realised that the State would not bo blessed with largo families unless the position, of parents was made as easy as possible]' The reserve had anticipated to some extant a scheme that the Education Department had in hand. A Bill, which might come before the House during the present session, provided, among other things, that the Minister might establish convalescent cottages for "ne temporary care of and the treatment of infants suffering from malnutrition; for the temporary care of children whose parents were prevented by illness or child-birth from caring] for them; and for the reception of children of compulsory school age who required convalescent treatment and care. He was impressed with the necessity of providing for the temporary care of young children whoso mothers entered'the St. Helens Hospitals in order to give birth to other children. Those mothers ought io be freed from anxiety concerning the welfare of the children they had been compelled to leave at home. The deputation was asking for a subsidy, and ho had to admit that this was a bad time to be asking for money.- The demands upon tlio public exchequer were extraordinarily large, and very many of the claims came from organisations that were working for the betterment of humanity. He would consult wUh the officers of his • Departments, and would bring'the matter before the Minister of Finance within the next few days in the hope that some moderate amount might be placed on the Estimates in aid of the nursery for this year at any rate.