THE BIRTH-RATE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 274, 15 August 1919, Page 9

THE BIRTH-RATE

WHAT THE STATE DOES. A Press Association message from Auckland published yesterday contained nn abstract of a discussion at the Auckland Farmers' Union meeting, in which several' speakers referred to the very heavy expenses attending child birth, saying that the expenses were more than working men could meet. Tlio Minister of Public Healtn made a brief statement on this subject yesterday. Mr. liussoll said that the matter hud 'boon considered by his Department and by himself for some time. He quite realised that the problem of the declino in the birth-rato was to a large extent an economic one, and lie did not think that the estimate of JM> made by.a speaker at the meeting as the cost of a birth in a working man's family was excessive. In order to encourage parenthood, the Public Health Department had been making .the fullest uso of tlio funds at its disposal. There were now si* St. Helens Homes in ihe Dominion —at Auckland, Wellington, Gislionie, Christehurch, Duncdin. and Jnvorcargill. At the.se homes (ho averago cost of a birth was about XI. The hospital boards also were taking a very active interest in 111 is good work, and homes had been established under boards at Blenheim, ■Picton, and Napier. Everywhere the boards were being encouraged to establish homes and to run them on the same lilies as the St. Helens Homes. One of the primary objects of the St. Helens Homes was the training of widwives, and these trained women frequently went out into other districts and established nursing homes. The Department was also sending out into tlio 'back-blocks district nurses, who had had training in midwifery. The cost of this lust venture was largely borno by the Health Department, and it was imped that gradually the entire Dominion would be covered by nurses appointed under (his scheme) the fees for the nurses being kept down always to liie lovvc-l possiblo rates to keep the finances of the scheme as nearly as possible on the right side. 'I lie Department also assisted in the foundation of medical associations, and it was tlio policy of (he Department to encourage associations to engage not only

r medical practitioner, but a twined midwife. Ho claimed that while (here whs much yet to lie done, n reiil effort was lieinj,' inmlc l)y 'the Donai'lnuuil to meet the necessities, of the situation. "The. only way lo meet (hem, in my opinion," ho i-'aid, "is the ■ .steady and rapid extension of the niii'sing sysiem to the outer districts of (he country, for experience litis shown that the number of cases in which a medical practitioner is required, in addition to the trained midwife, is exceedingly small."