CHILD WELFARE

Hokitika Guardian, 12 August 1926, Page 4

CHILD WELFARE

WORK IN SAMOA

AUCKLAND, August 10

Infant welfare work has spread to the islands of the Southern Pacific, and according to Dr Mabel Christie, who is in charge of work-in Samoa, excellent results are being obtained. Accompanied by her husband, Dr It. L. Christie, of the Samoau Health Department, she arrived by the Tofua last evening to spend a holiday in New Zealand.

“A Plunket system, modified to meet the needs of Samoan women, lias been in operation in the group for aboift eighteen months,” s’h.o said. ‘lt was introduced by- Dr T. It-. Ritchie, head of the Health Department, and it has proved very successful. I have boon engaged in the work for the whole period, and I speak - from first-hand knowledge when I say that the Department is to be commended for the experiment.”

It was very encouraging to notice the interest that was being taken in the work by the women of the Samoan villages, among whom the greater part of it was done, said Dr Christie. Most native races in the tropics were lazy, unenterprising and unwilling to learn, hut the Samoan women, once they had made up their minds about the needs for new methods, were quick to adopt them. The women had formed committees in every village, and superintended the infant welfare work of their own community.

“ T fiavc, of course, to make periodical tours,” said Dr Christie. “I have frequent talks to the women of various villages, and instruct them in the use of simple medicines for various child ailments. They pick those up very rapidly, and follow the instructions closely.” Excellent work had been done in instructing the women how to feed their babes. Dr Christie said she had had talks with the women in nearly every village, and had found that the children were given substantial native foods far too early. These had been modified to met the needs of the children. The committees of the villages di.d excellent work in regulating •the meals of th 0 children, and, although she could not quote figures, she was certain that since the Health Department had tried the innovation thoio had been a substantial reduction in tho death rate, both for mothers and babies, in the islands. Dr Christie is accompanied by a native nurse. She' lias, been sent to Auckland by the Administration in order that she may study Now Zealand conditions of child welfare. The Administration was doing all in its power to safeguard a. particularly fine stamp of native, said Dr Christie, and it was realised that attention to public health was of paramount importance.