SOCIAL WELFARE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20235, 20 April 1929, Page 16

SOCIAL WELFARE.

MORE MATERNITY NURSES.'

CARE OF DELINQUENTS

DESIRE FOR WOMEN POLICE.

The wide scope of tho activities of the National Council of Women was emphasised yesterday when a deputation from

the Auckland executive of tho council sought the co-operation of the Minister of Health, Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, in the

fulfilment of their ideals in tho training of maternity nurses, the treating of infectious diseases, the establishment of women police, the safeguarding of morals on the beaches and in dancing halls, picture shows and the streets, and the administration of tho Child Welfare Act and the Mental Defectives Act.

Dr. Buckley Turkington told the Minister that he would have the support of tho council in anything ho might do toward providing more maternity nurses and the special hospitals required for training them She also thought the infectious diseases wards of hospitals should bo under administration separate from that controlling the other wards in order to minimise tho risk of transferred infection. The nurses should not go from the infectious wards into tho other wards as they did at present. ' " The council nover has accepted and never will accept tho idea that police matrons are policewomen such as wo wish appointed," Miss E. Melville said The Commissioner of | Police and the superintendent in Auckland had advised the executive that the

two police matrons in the city wero doing all tho work suggested for policewomen, but an answer to that was to be found in the fact that none of those in close touch with tho social work of the city knew of their activities. Tho council desited specially trained, educated women for the work. In refusing to appoint policewomen, New Zealand was lagging behind other progressive countries. Replying to Miss A. Basten, tho Minister said there was no change in policy with regard to the creation of Motuilu Island into a marine park. Some time would necessarily bo required for finalising all tho details of tho transfer. Miss S?E. Jackson, a justice of the Children's Court, suggested that the administration of the Child Welfare Act should bo brought under one of the social welfare departments of (he State and that Us head should have direct access to the controlling Minister. Social workers should be specially trained, especially the probation officers, for the success of probation depended largely on the officers responsible for enforcing tho terms. Iho counei also thought the Act should be amended so that a delinquent could be brought before a magistrate or presiding justice and admitted to probation without a conviction being recorded. Mr Stnllwortliy said he was entirely in "sympathy with the representation with recrard to women police and he could assure the council of his heartiest support in the movement to have them appointed. Ho congratulated tho council on the excellent work it was doing and said that were it not for the activities of the women in social welfare New Zealand would be infinitely poorer.