HELPING MOTHERS

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 38, 13 August 1921, Page 9

HELPING MOTHERS

CLAIM FOR PUBLIC SUPPORT

GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL DIFFL

CULTIES.

The valne of the work which is being performed by the Mothers' Help Division of the Women's National Reserve was emphasised by a deputation which waited upon the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. Dowriie Stewart) yesterday afternoon. Last year the Government' granted the division a subsidy of £100, and the deputation asked that this should J>e renewed this year, and, if possible, increased. .Mrs. Coleridge explained that the division employed one half-time and four full-time helpers, and gave assistance to mothers without distinction as to class. The sickness or the number of children in the home gave the claim for assistance. Last year over 100 families were visited. Payments made for the assistance given met about 65 per cent, of the expenses and this was as near as the division could go to'being self-supporting if it were to give assistance to all classes. Mrs. Darling said that by preventing disease the division was doing better work, perhaps, th'afa by curing it; and there was no doubt that: the help given did much to preserve the health of the mothers. • One of tJie aims of the division was to interest girls of refinement and education in domestic work. In reply to the Minister, Mrs. Coleridge said that last year's subsidy was on the basis of £1 for each £2 of public subscriptions, so that £200 was obtained from the public to gain the £100. >The Minister said it was suggested last year that this might lead to claims from other centres. Mis. Coleridge: "We hope it will, because it will be to the advantage of the State." The only other place where the work' had been taken up as yet was Motueka. The Minister said that he had no hesitation in expressing the utmost sympathy for the work they.were doing. They had referred to the times of retrenchment, and he did-not think that the subsidy would'be as easy to get this year as last year. "What surprises me is that, with the splendid work that is done, and the help that it must be to the public, the, Whole of the money is not subscribed by the public. Since I have been in this position I have obtained the impression that the people of Wellington are too near to the Government." "He was sure that if such work were done in Dunedin there would be no difficulty in obtaining the money from the public if the matter were placed before a few leading citizens. If the matter were placed before the public here either through the Mayor or the members of Parliament, he thought the money would be obtained without difficulty. ' Mrs. Coleridge said that the public had responded splendidly, both in establishing the system and since, but a certain amount of State recognition was valuable, and they considered that since the health of mothers was so much emphasised that they were entitled to receive assistance. The Minister said that he quite saw the value of the State recognition; but if the public subscriptions amounted to only one or two hundred pounds he did not see where abounding generosity came in. He had no fund out of which he could make the grant without placing the request before Cabinet, and he would do that; but it would not be right for him to let them think that it would be easy to obtain a renewal of the'grant. Last year, apparently, the Government recognised the value of the work by making the vote. There were, however, all sorts of . organisations which were 1 supported wholly by public subscriptions. • ' Mrs. Darling said that the division was asking the Government to help only with one-half of its work. It also conducted a rest room in charge of a competent matron. The City Council assisted that work by paying the rent of the room. Mrs. Cpleridge remarked that the Government would save a lot of money on hospitals and mental hospitals by spending a little now to help preserve the health of the mothers.

The Minister said that he would place the request before Cabinet.