EXCESSIVE PRICE OP BABIES' NAPKINS

Northern Advocate, 5 June 1948, Page 6

EXCESSIVE PRICE OP BABIES' NAPKINS

KAWAKAWA, Sat. (Sp.).—The excessive price of babies’ napkins was discussed with the Minister of Health (Miss M. 13. Howard) by a deputation of Ivawakawa women yesterday afternoon

position was almost an impossible s whose incomes were not high.

That was outside her department, said the Minister. She could not stand there and lay down such principles. To another questioner, who suggested that women might not care to ask for charity, Miss Howard said there was no charity in New Zealand today inasmuch as Social Security was a fund built by everybody paying in something in case they should ever stand in need of drawing out.

One speaker stated that the one for young expectant mother Miss Howard agreed that £2/10/- a dozen was gar too much, but it was a matter beyond the Government’s control. “I have twins and I had to pay £l4 for napkins myself. That’s just prohibitive, and yet women are asked to have larger families,” said one speaker. Miss Howard said that babies’ napkins were imported from England in the main. The price of the imported article was set in England and the New Zealand Government had no control over the price. The only way it might get over the trouble was by means of direct subsidies. She had seen some New Zealandmade articles and was satisfied that their price was surprisingly low. There was not much difference from the pre-war price.

HELP FROM HOSPITAL BOARDS

Absolutely no stocks were being held in New Zealand, she affirmed. There was no unnecessary hold-up. All that came into the country went out for sale. She informed the deputation that women who were hard put to it would be able to find relief through the hospital board. No hospital board in the country would refuse to help a genuine case of hardshio: her own board in Christchurch liad, in fullest confidence, helped a great many people. The local board was no different, she surmised. “Would it be possible to increase the price of our exports to pay for our imports?” asked another woman.