HELP FOR MOTHERS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 274, 13 August 1921, Page 9

HELP FOR MOTHERS

SOLVING THE DOMESTIC WORK PROBLEM . .'.z "■?£".• NATIONAL RESERVE SEEKS AID DEPUTATION TO MINISTERS The work done by the Mothers' HVTp of the Women’s National Reserve was explained to the Ministr of Internal Affairs (Hon. AV. Downie Stewart) yesterday by a deputation, which fcsked for a Government grant. Last year the Government made a grant of >£loo as subsidy on a sum of £2OO collected by publio subscription, and the deputation asked that a similar sum should be made available this year. Mrs. Coleridge said that the division Undertook to send domestic help into the homes of mothers with young children. No question of class was raised, but i special consideration was given to the claims of mothers who were in ill-health ©r who had largo families. The mothers (Who could afford it were asked to pay . the standard rate of wages. Other • mothers paid according to their means, but the division encouraged payment Wherever possible. It employed four full-time workers, who were very carefully chosen. They were youug women of high character and good education, who went to the homes for half-days at a time. Last year they served 100 I families within the twelve months, and thy division had been unable to meet . ell tho applications received for their services. The payments by mothers I covered about 65 per cent, of the -exI ponses of the scheme, and the assistance 1 given by the Government and the publio i- covered the balance of the expenditure. J Mrs. Coleridge <ddded that the division ; did not wish to make the scheme entire(ly self-supporting. The present arrangej nient enabled it to reach all classes of ' mothers, and to give assistance where it , was most needed. The division felt ' entitled to ask for State assistance in consideration of the help that was being .given to mothers and children. Tho i scheme was promoting the health of the i nation, and it had the hearty support of the medical profession. I Mrs. Darling said that the health of i the mothers was of paramount importance, and the division was attacking the ’ problem at tho right point. Ono of the objects of tho scheme was to raise tho standard of domestic work. The workers employed by the division were show- . Ing that they could give efficient service In the homes without loss of status, and tho division hoped to induce more young women of the same class to take up ■ domestic work, which was the most important work that any woman could uo. The scheme was very economically administered, and its practical value 'was proved by many letters that had been received from grateful mothers. The Minister: What about tho other i Centres? Will this grant mean claims for similar assistance from other parts of the Dominion?

Mrs. Coleridge replied that she hoped it would. The work was valuable enough I to be extended. Motueka had taken up ■«. similar scheme on a snijJl scale. The Minister said that he hod the utmost sympathy with the work of tho division. He realised that splendid work was being done. But under present conl ditions ho could not promise any publio money without consulting Cabinet. It might not be so easy to get a grant this year as it was last year. He was rather surprised that the division should have ' to come to tho Government at all for the small sum mentioned. He hud received an improssio'n since ho became a Minister that Wellington people wore too near to tho Government. A similar Bum for a similar purpose could be raised privately in Dunedin in half an hour. l The division’s need would require merely to lx> mentioned to a.few leading citizens. .(To thought that Wellington people ought to be able to provide all the money required for this local work ■without leaning on tho Government at all. Mrs. Coleridge said that tho Wellington people had been very generous. They had given the division a good start. But State recognition was of great assistance to the division in many ways. The Minister said that if Wellington citizens had subscribed only £260 last year for tho work of the Mothers’ Help Division he did not see where their abounding generosity came in. He was sure that a, similar work in one of the other cities would not require financial support from .the Government. He Would place the deputation’s request before Cabinet, but ho would like the division to consider if it could not- roly upon the Wellington public for all.tho money required. He knew of various organisations engaged in important social work that were not asking the Government for anything. Mrs. Dbrling pointed out that the division had mentioned to the Minister 'only one branch of its work. * It 'had a rest-room for mothers at Courtenay Place. Tho City Council paid the rent of tho room, and the division paid the salary of a matron and other charges. The Minister mentioned that his Department was paying 15s. a week rent for tho reserve. Ministers were finding that when they went to the Minister of Finance for money lie expressed tho greatest sympathy, but had no cash. After some general discussion the Minister repeated his promise to place the request before Cabinet.