PROVISION FOR MATERNITY CASES.

Western Star, 23 March 1917, Page 2

PROVISION FOR MATERNITY CASES.

Some time ago the Government, through the Minister of Internal Affairs, undertook to provide Southland with a St. Helen’s Maternity Hospital, such as have proved a boon to the four large centres of population in the Dominion. The undertaking was conditional on the ladies*, who interviewed him at Invercargill on the subject, providing the necessary furnishing, estimated to cost one thousand pounds. The offer was accepted, a suitable residence has been acquired in the southern portion of Invercargill, and the ladies interested are now organising a. collecting campaign to raise the one thousand by subscription. The maternity hospital is for the wives of husbands who are earning not more than £4 per week, and the fees to be charged inmates will be £1 for the week preceding confinement, and £2 10s per week for the two succeeding weeks. Twelve local women are to be trained as nurses, and these will be sent to the country in urgent cases. Wives of soldiers will ho entitled to receive all attention free of charge. This, in brief, emu braces the whole of the essential particulars. The object is a most praiseworthy one, and deserving o every assistance. In pursuance of the scheme to raise the requisite sum for the furnishing of the institution, we understand that it haa been mooted that committees should be formed locally to make a systematic canvass. While of the opinion that all should render the scheme their support and assistance, we do not think they should overlook the claims of Wallace to an institution such as is proposed for Invercargill, and if the people believe it to be an excellent thing, then any local organisation should be for the establishment of a maternity ward here, within easy distance of a large population of bush, mine and farm workers. The Invercargill institution will have to serve the whole of that town and the Southland County, which includes Bluff, Winton, and Mataura, etc., and it is not likely that there would be much room for the numerous cases in Wallace. We do not in any way wish to discountenance financial assistance being given to the Southland project. Bar from it. On the contrary let those so disposed forward their subscriptions, but, we repeat, if a systematic canvass is to be made it should be for a local institution. The member for Wallace, who is a strong advocate of maternity homes and trained nurses for the country, a matter rendered of vital importance by the war, some years ago mooted the subject, and practically had a promise of a subsidy from the then government, provided the Charitable Aid Board found the other moiety, provision being made for Boards to take up this work, but the project fell through. If the tinne is thought opportune, it might be again revived. Such an institution would be a boon to the workers, and it would serve their interests much better to be provided for locally than have to go the greater distance to Invercargill. The war has created a greater interest in these things, and at its conclusion the Minister in Charge, of Hospitals intends to review the whole position, the opinion being held that every possible assistance should be given in maternity cases in the interest of the State. The railway system makes Riverton the most suitable centre for anything of the kind, and any movement towards the provision of a local convenience would require to be supplied by outlying centres. Once these realised that they could have an institution much closer to them than Invercargill, it may be taken for granted that if they thought of organised effort it would bo in support of one under the jurisdiction of their owni Board, which has now one nurse located at Tuatapere. We hold that it is the duty of the Wallace Board to take up the project of providing a maternity ward.