HELP FOR MOTHERS

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 289, 4 September 1942, Page 3

HELP FOR MOTHERS

Complaint That Promise

Was Not Kept

"One of the benefits promised in the Social Security Scheme was a domestic aid service to be supplied in the case of sick or overworked housewives,” writes a .correspondent to an Auckland newspaper. “This promise has never been put into practice, and since, it seems that the existing social services working under extreme pressure are unable to cope with the demand, and there could therefore he no question of overlapping, I would suggest that something be done by private enterprise working in conjunction with the social organization. “I know of the case of a young expectant mother with another child of 16 months who was taken suddenly ill. Her husband, recalled from eamp, desperately and unsuccessfully sought for help from the various organizations until the AV.AV.S.A. arranged some temporary assistance, but this overworked body should be relieved of such routine services. Another case of hardship was that of a young mother with several toddlers and a new baby who lived within a short distance of a suburban township, but because she was off the beaten track no fuel could be delivered to her home, and as her husband was in camp, to keep her children warm she was obliged to tear down her garden palings for firing. Thousands of similar cases crop up every day. Mothers of families and elderly woipeu deprived of their manpower are desperately struggling to keep things going, digging gardens,' mowing lawns, chopping wood, the thousand and one jobs which normally fall to the man of the house. “Since all the young women are being rapidly absorbed by the Armed Forces or essential industries, ray suggestion is that the older women who are fit and well and whose families no longer require their exclusive care should band themselves in an organization pledged to help their fellow women and ready to be callqd on in time of emergency. If this organization became sufficiently large no undue hardship should be imposed on any volunteer helper, as she would be called on in rotation for assistance, and each district would have its own band of helpers. Details of this scheme have been carefully thought out. This is a humanitarian scheme which would be quite as valuable a contribution to the war effort as any other. AVe have our V.A.D.’s—why not our D.A.V.’s, Domestic Aid Volunteers?”