Obstetrical Chair

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7170, 18 March 1930, Page 11

Obstetrical Chair

HOSPITAL BOARD’S POSITION. The opinion that an obstetrical chair at Otago University should be established by the Government and that the public should not be called upon to find the finances for such a matter, was expressed by Mr J. K. Horublow, chairman, at yesterday’s meeting of the Palmerston North Hospital Board when the secretary of the local branch of the New Zealand Obstetrical Appeal fund wrote asking for a grant. Mr Horublow pointed out that the board was already doing a great deal in the cause. It was training maternity nurses and had also an ante-natal clinic. Mrs Abraham stressed the need for such a chair at the university. New Zealand was proud of its low infant mortality but the death rate with mothers was altogether too high—probably the highest in the world. Other members spoke in favour of the cause and Mr J. A. Nash moved that a donation of £UO be made.

The secretary reported that ' the expenditure would be classified by the Audit dex>artment as unauthorised and at the present time he hadn’t £2O in that account. The board then discussed whether it could commit next year’s expenditure, the secretary stating that it could not. The chairman suggested that perhaps the board had better wait until it was seen if ' Palmerston North people were able to raise the £SOO required of them. For the board to make a donation seemed like double-banking. Mr J. Boyce expressed a i ke opinion. Eventually it was decided to bring the matter up again at tho board’s next meeting which will be held in the new financial year. The chairman stated that the women of New Zealand were to be congratulated upon the move they had made.