WOMAN'S WORLD

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 81, 29 December 1917, Page 5

WOMAN'S WORLD

« (Continued from Page ■}) HELP FOR MOTHERS WORK OF ST. HELENS HOMES. "I would like to draw attention to the fact tbat tho Government has established over a great part of New Zealand St. Helens Homes, which are intended to reduce tlie cost of childbirth to wives whose husbands do not earn more than £4 a week," said the Hon. G. W. llussell, Minister of Public Health, in reply to a complaint that the high cost of nursing and medical attendance discouraged the raising of large families. "In these cases the prospective mother is charged £1 per week while waiting for tho •confin'jment, and £1 10s. per week after the baby is born- during the two wreks which is the usual stay of mothers in tho institutions. The cost of £1 10s. per week covers everything, including medical services, nursing, etc. _ j "As these institutions are available, the question of the cost .of childbirth, in my opinion, does pot need to outer as a serious clement in connection with the responsibilities of 'parenthood amongst ,the population. The matrons of St. Helens Hospitals are prepared to advise prospective mothers free- or all 'cost: and all the babies that aro born in the'institutions aro followed ■up after birth by the nurses engaged there. Not only is that the case, but the St. Helens Hospitals have also an outdoor department, by which advice and assistance ,and nursing_ are given to those,mothers whose children are born in their own homes."

New Zealand people will be pleased to know that a baby son has been born to Lady Augusta luskip. She is a sister or Lord Glasgow and Lady Cranbrook, and married the late Mr. Charles Orr-Ewing in 1898. Her married life only lasted five years, and t.he remarried with' Mr. Inskip in 1914. By < the way, it was a curious coincidence that there were two young and wellknown widows who bore the name of Orr-Ewing, with only the difference of one year between their respective ages. Besides Lady Augusta there was lody Margaret Orr-Ewing, sister to the Duke of Roxburgh, and this latter lest her husband in the Boer War B.Hcr only two years of married life; and she remains a widow.. Lady Augusta Inskip is a pretty, soft-voiced woman, wiwi a grave; gracious manner; she has many friends in London and Scotland, and also in New Zealand, where she spent some years during her fete lather's governorship. She is a remarkably accomplished violinist, and in her first husband's lifetime used to organise concerts at Portpatrick in Scotland. She has or had a/irst-rato hotel at Dunskey, near Stranraer, which she managed with much success. Her life in New Zealand had taught her to be practical.

. A' very old Eeefton resident, Mrs. Ceresto, died a few days ago 'at the age of 80. She was a native of Italy, and spent 50 years on the Coast. Messrs. A. Ceresto (Reefton),' Victor (Marist Brother), Sylvester (West Australia), and Mrs. Ginn (Queensland) are sons and daughters respectively of the deceased.