MATERNITY BENEFIT NOW £15

Chronicle (Levin), 28 August 1947, Page 6

MATERNITY BENEFIT NOW £15

WELLINGTON, August 27. The Minister of Health, Miss Howard, announced that the maternity benefit payable from tbe social seeurity fund in respect of nursing services Ul'orded in public aud private maternity hospitals, was beihg increased from tlie niaxinium of £11 to a maximum of Silo. The new benefit would be at tlie rate of £1 per day from the date of birth and for each of the 14: days sucxeeding tlie Mate of birth and would nperate in respect of all births on aml after September 1. Tlie Minister said the present benefit of £11 had opferated since 1939. fSince that date hospital costs had increased considerably an.lmost private maternity hospitals had had to seek authority to Increase their fees. liuprovements iu workiug con ditions and shorter hours for nurses and hospital doiue.-tic workers were projected whicli would contribute further to hospital costs and might call for a further review of hospital charges. The increase in benefit was therefore designed to assist maternity patients to mc-et tlie liigher fees now heing charged by maternity hospitals. The Ministei" emphasiseU that the increase was fo; the benefit of patients and must not be coiistrued by hospital licensces as authority to iiic-rea.se fees. That coubl he done only by appiication to tlie Price Tribunat