MAIDEN SPEECH

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 22660, 13 July 1945, Page 2

MAIDEN SPEECH

MEMBER FOR HAMILTON MRS ROSS WARMLY APPLAUDED WELLINGTON, Friday The need for more nurses to take up Plunket work and to extend the scope to children of school wss advocated b3 r Mrs Hilda Ross, M.P. for Hamilton, in a forcible maiden speech in the House of Representatives last night. The ladies’ gallery was crowded and Mrs Ross made an excellent impression on the House, her speech being free from interjections. Mrs Ross paid a tribute to the civil servants, particularly post office employees, whose services, she said, had not met with the recognition they should have received. Mrs Rcss said that while she was opposed on political grounds to the only other woman member there might be occasions when they could speak and act together, as they were united on matters which affected the women and children of the Dominion. She was more concerned with their

welfare "than any party considerations. Speaking on the need for more Plunket nurses, Mrs Ross said their work could be made much more effective if the present Government subsidy of one-third could be increased. More nurses might be induced to take up Plunket nursing if the present system of training without salary were abolished by the institution of bursaries or other schemes. Working girls should not be deprived of this opportunity because they were not paid during their training period. Assistance in Home The speaker referred to the urgent need for providing assistance in the home in those cases where the mother had to enter hospital. Where assistance was not forthcoming, its absence in the home was detrimental not only to the mother concerned but to the father and children. To meet the position the status of domestic help should be raised. She was not speaking for the lazy woman but the mother who really needed assistance and could not obtain it at a stage when it was vital that she should. Mrs Ross stressed the need for more nurseries and creches and advocated the inclusion of domestic science in training courses for all girls, irrespective of the careers for which they Were studying. “We need more girls in homes than in factories,” she contended.

Mrs Ross advocated more congenial educational facilities and suggested that the Minister of Health should give more consideration to bringing some of the older schools into line with the requirements of new schools. She mentioned as an example a primary school in Hamilton, where, during the recent cold spell, it was impossible to take the children for arithmetic and spelling on certain mornings because their fingers were too cold. More attention should be given to physical culture in schools, said Mrs Ross, who stressed the importance of impressing on parents the need for healthy and well-balanced diets. Value of Health Camps

The speaker dealt on the inestimable value to the community of health camps, which she advocated should be run by local organisations rather than by the State. She said she had heard there was a movement on foot to abolish holiday camps, but if that were done much harm would result to the health of the country. At the conclusion of her speech Mrs Ross was greeted by prolonged applause from both sides of the House. Before the speech, Miss M. B. Howard (Government Christchurch East) was seen to cross the floor of the House and wish Mrs Ross luck.