BACK BLOCKS NURSING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16435, 11 January 1917, Page 7

BACK BLOCKS NURSING

COTTAGE HOSPITALS URGED

WARDS FOR MATERNITY.

HON. G. W. RUSSELL'S VIEWS.

[BY TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Wednesday. In the courso of his address at the conference of representatives of hospital and charitable aid boards to-day, the Hon. G. W. Russell, Minister for Public Hoalth, said ho desired to establish maternity wards in connection with all our hospitals, to cheapen tho cost of parentage for many people. This scheme would not apply to towns where there were St. Helens homes. He hoped hospital boards would arrange for this. It was a State responsibility, and the boards should be repaid by the State. The Minister went on to say that he wondered if the far distant country districts were receiving their due in view of the large sums of money they were compelled to raise. He had no objection to strong efficient base hospitals, but he could not shut his eyes to tho fact that there were cases where people in tho back blocks got very little assistance from those institutions, although they were rated for their upkeep. Ho asked tho conference to consider whether it would not bo desirable to establish more cottage hospitals in charge of capablo. nurses that would often render" a Jong journey unnecessary. A Delegate: The difficulty is to got the nurses. Mr. Russell: We must train them. < Another Delegate: They won't practise in the country. ' Mr. Russell : My experience is that you can get anything you want if you 'are prepared to pay for it. Mr. Russell said he was referring particularly to the back blocks of the North Island, miles from the railways, where they had to put patients on horses and thus convey them long distances, or had to cany people long distances. If they wanted the class of people all wished to sec on the land they must provide out of the funds of the State some of the comforts of life.