APPEAL IS MADE FOR OBSTETRICAL FUND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19033, 31 March 1930, Page 10

APPEAL IS MADE FOR OBSTETRICAL FUND.

BENEFIT CONCERT HELD IN WELLINGTON THEATRE (Special to the “Star.”) WELLINGTON, March 31. A concert arranged by Mrs Bernard Wood given last evening in the Majestic Theatre, Wellington, was an unqualified success. The large theatre was packed in every part before .the advertised time for beginning. Her Excellency, Lady Bledisloe, was present. A short moving picture programme was given and an address through the movietone by the Right Hon Sir Joseph Ward was very warmly received, his appearance in the picture being loudly applauded. The Minister of Education (the Hon H. Atmore) gave a short address explaining that the evening had been arranged by Mrs Wood in aid of the fund with which to wage a campaign against maternal mortality. This campaign had' been initiated by Dr Doris Gordon,, of Straftford, and Mr Atmore explained that the Dominion was divided into four sections. It was expected that Auckland and Wellington and the intervening districts would raise £7500 each whilst the two divisions in the South Island were to raise £SOOO each, making a total of £25,000 for the endowment of a chair of Obstetrics at the Dunedin Medical School. The Minister said that it might be asked what were the Government doing in the matter. The Government were finding £50,000 for the building of a hospital for the necessary research work in midwifery and in addition would subsidise the efforts of the public by giving a subsidy of £25,000 on the voluntary contributions, making a total of £75,000. The necessity for research work into the study of obstetrics was shown by the fact that one mother died in childbirth every two pnd a half days in New Zealand, and although we had the lowest infantile mortality in the whole world, having reducedt the rate of infants’ deaths in the first year of birth I per thousand live births since

© © si m ® ® ® ® in ® ® ® ® ® ® ® ® 1907 from eighty-eight to thirty-four in 1929 our position in regard to maternal mortality was not nearly so satisfactory, as in the records taken in twenty-seven countries it was shown that we were only midway, the actual rate being 4.75 per 1000 births, as agaipst Denmark’s 2.36. The total number of deaths' from puerperal causes for the last five years up to 1928 was as follows: 1924 140 1925 131 1926 120 1927 137 1928 134 Mr Atmore emphasised the point that New Zealand led the world in its low infantile death rate because of the close study made into infant life both by the Government, through the Child Welfare Department, and by the Plunket Society, and its proud position was due to concentrated effort. He said: “ Let us give the mothers an equal chance. Let ns endow the university with this chair of obstetrics, so that a first-class man may be placed in charge, and the medical men have full opportunity for study in the midwifery course, and then we shall be able to make another proud and justifiable boast that we have enhanced a splendid achievement in the reduction of infant mortality byshowing an equal reduction in the maternal rate among mothers.” At the conclusion of the concert, the Minister thanked those present for their support. As a result of the concert, the fund will benefit to the extent of about £IOO. When is a Violinist a Fiddler? The distinction between a violin and fiddle has been lucidly put lately by an American journalist. There is no difference, he suggests, between the two instruments until they are played. The violinist wears evening dress, has an accompanist, and plays classical pieces. A fiddler usually has no collar, dis penses with an accompaniment holds the instrument in the crook of his elbow, rather than under his chin, beats time heavily with his boot-sole, and plays tunes. So is reached this ultimate and definite conclusion: The difference beween a violin and a fiddle is that one is played by a violinist and the other by a fiddler.