PLUNKET WORK

Hokitika Guardian, 15 August 1930, Page 7

PLUNKET WORK

REDUCTION OF GRANT. PROTEST TO MINISTERS. WELLINGTON, Aug. 12. Government economies drew many protests from members of the House of Representatives during the discussion of the Estimates to-day, one of the most, vigorous coming from Mr J. A. Young (R., Hamilton), cx-Minister for Health, who objected to the Government's proposal to economise at the expense of the Karitane Hospitals and Plunket nurses. Mr Young pointed out that the maintenance grants to Karitane Hospitals last year totalled £6750, whereas the vote provided this year was £SOOO. Further, it was proposed to reduce th© subsidies toward the salaries of Plunket nurses from £16,500 to £13,050. The country could not afford to reduce these votes, for the work, was expanding all the time. The Minister for Education had held out against any “cut” in tho Education vote. While he (Mr Young) agreed with that view, he held it was much more important that the assistance given to mothers and babies should not be reduced. He felt so strongly on the question, that he proposed to move that the salary of the DirectorGeneral of Health should b© reduced 'by £lO, as a protest. The Chairman of Committees, Mr W. A. Bodkin, said Mr Young had lost his opportunity ae he had merelv notified his intention, of moving the reduction.

Air P. Fraser (Lab., Wellington Central) said that in any case the' House was considering the first item referring to the Legislative vote, and not to the Health vote. Mr Bodkin; The motion will have to be considered when we are dealing with the Health vote.

DEPUTATION TO MINISTERS. Curtailments made in the vote towards the work of the Plunket Society formed the subject of a protest by members of the Dominion Council, who waited on the Prime Minister and Minister for Health to-day. Mr J. A. Johnstone (Dunedin) said they considered their claim for a continuance of financial assistance from the State was justified by the public appreciation of the services given, and by reason of the fact that already more than double the amount contributed by the State was raised annually by voluntary effort, Payments during the last financial year amounted to £55,792, 4s 6d towards which the State contributed £15,818 3s 2d. The payments met on account of the Karitane Hospitals Were £lor 63.1 fiis 9d, towards which the Suttl Of £6750 was contributed by the State, Mr Johnstone dwelt upon the valuable work which had been done by the Plunket Society in the interests of the women and children of the Dominion. The society’s work was a humanitarian educational health mission, the succ'rs of which was due to the fundamental principle that it was free to all. To-day 65 per cent of the babies 'born in the Dominion came directly under the care of the Plunket nurses.

GRANT WANTED FOR NURSES. The society emphasised the fact that they were not asking for financial assistance for any new undertaking; they were merely asking for the means by which they might be able to carry on the work already established throughout the country, the growth of which was controlled by the public and was beyond the power of the society. They merely asked for the continuance of the State’s assistance —a grant at the rate of £125 a year towards the salary of each Plunket nurse appointed. Mr Johnstone maintained that Mr Seddon, Mr Massey, Mr Coates, and Sir Joseph Ward would never have contemplated for one moment a reduction in the grant for the maintenance of Karitano Hospitals or Plunket nurses. The Mayor of Wellington (Mr G. A. Troup) said they felt that before any reduction was made ill the vote to the Plunket Society every avenue should he explored to raise the necessary revenue. The Plunket Society should be the last to suffer. The Plunket Society was probably one of the best advertisements that New Zealand had. ECONOMY ESSENTIAL. The Minister for Health said that before any reduction was made tlie Estimates were carefully examined, but it had to be remembered that there was only a limited sum of money available for the purposes of the Health Department. It was not correct to assume that the society had been deprived of £6OOO. As a matter of fact, the shortage was only £I9OO, and it was possible that amount would bo made up in the Supplementary Estimates. The Prime Minister said they had to bear in mind that New Zealand was now passing through one of the most critical periods in its history, and it was the duty of everyone to be ns economical as possible. As Prime Minister it was his duty, to ask everybody irrespective of the nature of the work they were doing, to watch their expenses, and endeavour if possible to reduce them to the absolute minimum. It was still his unpleasant task to introduce measures in the House with, the object of making up deficiencies in the revenue,