MATERNITY HOMES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16796, 21 July 1920, Page 6

MATERNITY HOMES.

NEGLECT OF BACK-BLOCKS. GOVERNMENT HELP URGED. Bl' TELEGRAPH. OWN CORRESPONDENT. WELLINGTON, July 20. Mr. R. Mastefs (Stratford) gave notice to ask the Minister of Health if he would, with a view to reducing the great disabilities and heavy expense imposed on settlers and others of small means living in country districts, par-” ticularly the hack-blocks, in obtaining medical assistance and nursing for the care of their wives in time of maternity, take steps this session to grant a subsidy to those hospital districts in which the State had not sestablished or assisted to establish maternity homes, of £3 to £1 in order to encourage and help the smaller hospital boards to establish maternity institutions. Mr. Masters stated that the country districts had just reason for complaint against the Government, inasmuch as the State would find the whole or the greater part of the cost of the establishment of maternity homos in cities, while small hospital districts in ihe country are not so favoured. Such homes are more essential in country districts.