MATERNITY HOME

Levin Daily Chronicle, 8 October 1918, Page 1

MATERNITY HOME

(Manawatu Times.)

"I am quite satisfied that a Mater--jiity Home somewhere in this town, is absolutely necessary," said Hon. Or. W. Rui-sell, Minister for Health, last week. There was a great movement for establishing maternity homes in many places. The difficulty wag that of capital. "I suggest that you at" oncoeither rent or lease a suitable buirding and in that way you could have your maternity home established within a month." :

The Minister said a house to accommodate ten or twelve beds, well but not extravagantly equipped, would meet their immediate requirements. An experienced ' maternity matron and a couple of nurses would staff the institution. The adoption of this would abviate the expenditure of £10,000 in erecting a new building at the hospital. Replying to Mr Nash, Mr Bussell stated that in view of the heavy strain on finances ho would prefer the leasing or renting of a building to the purchase of one. But should a suitable building be offered for purchase, if his officers reported favourably on it, he would provide half the cost.

Dr. Whitaker stated that as a layman, the Minister looked at the matter from a different point of view than the medical men, and he considered the maternity home should be at the hospital ' for various reasons, which he explained.

■ The Minister: "I do not favour having maternity homes at- the hospital. They should have the brightest and most cheerful environment at such a time. You, Sir James, as a farmer, know the advantage of keeping your lambs in a-good paddock after they are born, if you want ; . to get fat lambs"; which logic seemed to appeal to the members, who are mostly from rural districts. And here the matter was allowed to rest.