STATE CHARITY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1436, 10 May 1912, Page 5

STATE CHARITY.

A HEAVY BURDEN. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Palmcriten N., May 8, The Minister for Internal Affairs, Hen. G. W. Russell, gave nil Interesting address to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board to-day. Ho said that few realised the magnitude of tho work done in assisting the poor. Last year old age pensions cost .£3:15,(100, the hospitals spent .£237,1)00, the charitable, aid boards .£116,000, and of these two last amounts the ratepayers' provided one-half anil the Government tho other half. The maguitudo of these figures indicated the necessity for prudenco in their administration on (ho part .of those locally responsible. There was an undoubted tendency to establish a, pauper class in connection with eiiantable aid, and watchfulness on the part of the boards and tho Government was necessary to prevent a person from marine; a system of living on charitable aid. This sliould be made impossible if legislation and watchful administration could secure thai; end. The figures given indicated thst about 15s. per head lor the entire population of ft million of people was being spent; on hospitals and cnaritabSe aid and pensions. that was a vcrv largo sum far a country with a. virile and healthy people. Wherever he went the need was nnprC'Sed on him of the necessity of providing settlers in the back-block* witn medical assistance, and where medico! men were not available, with trained nurses. -"'J 1 ™: all things, it was impressed or. linn thaO Ihcv should provide maternity nurses lor those women who go out as pioneers o, civilisation into tho hack-blocks. 1 n wis their dutv to push their musing system to such a state of efficiency thai. I hey would be able to send nurses out from such a centre as Paliiierston, which win tho hospital for a large district, itwas not possible immediately to establish a, SI, Helens Hospital here, but they should have a mafwnitv ward at the general hospital to help maternity cases anil jo train maternity nurses to go into tne back-blocks, .' . He wanted also, wnli tne assistance of the boards, to establish an energetic camnaigu against tuberculosis. Tie propped i 0 establish a scientific library dealing with the disease at the Cambridge Katintorhim, where they had an enthusiastic fscientist and student of the disease m charge. The literature could then be pent to inform the boards as to the up-io date methods of dealing with the scourge,