CITIZENS' DAY NURSERIES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 287, 28 August 1920, Page 9

CITIZENS' DAY NURSERIES

(Contributed.) An opportunity will bo given to the citizens on Wednesday next to assist a valuable and much-needed work in the Citizens' Day Nurseries. There can be no doubt about the great necessity for assisting the mothers with young children in a way that is practical, and also beneficial to tho mothers and tho children, Iho day nurseries fvill supply the necessary help that is urgently wanted, and so Bavo much of tho misery endured by the parents of our future generation. One has only to sit down and Bum up the life of the average mother to icaliso what a load of the nation's responsibility is cast upon. her; in fact, tho whole futuro of our race depends upon her. Just think for n moment and ask yourself what Is being done to assist her to bear her load of responsibilities. Ono is horrified to hear some women pay: "I think it is neccßßary to help the sick mothers" (and so it is), "but not thoso who are well," but how much more important it is to l;eep them well? A sick mother is the greatest disadvantage any nation can have. When no other help can bci procured liomeß should be provided for the care of sick mothers' children, and it is also tho duty of tho State not only to provide maternity homes for tho expectant mother, but a nursery should bo provided in closo proximity to tho maternity hospital where the mothers' young children can bo looked after if there are no other means of having them cared for during the time tho mother iB unablo to look after them herself. There has boen too much nibbling at this vital question in the past, and it Is to ho hoped that tho Children's Welfare League, with Dr. Trilby King at its head, will bo tho means

of cementing together the small organisations which are at tho present time struggling to maintain this mountain of work. What is urgently wanted is the co-operation of every society working in the interests of mothers and children to join hands and work solidlv until they are satisfied that ninety-nine per cent, of tile mothers in want of assistance are being helped, and not only ono hero and there out of the many, as is the caBO to-day. The day nurseries will provide the ways and means of helping many, and it is to he hoped that tho mothers in need of help will do all they can to assist to makn tho appeal to the puhll" successful. Tho stallholders will be glad of the smallest gifts or donations towards making the day a succoasful effort for beginning tho work.