MATERNITY HOME

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3798, 29 May 1928, Page 3

MATERNITY HOME

OPENED BY-THE MINISTER OF HEALTH. The maternity home, erected without cost to the contributing authorities, was opened at Palmerston North yesterday afternoon by the Hon. J. A. Young, (Minister for Health), before a large and representative gathering. Speeches were made by the Chairman of the Board (Sir James Wilson), J. A. Nash, M.P., and congratulations were extended by Messrs J. Linklater and G. Eliott M.P’s. for Manawatu and Oroua. Messrs J. K. Hornblow and Monk (Board members), also delivered brief addresses. “There have been many congratulations extended to Palmerston this afternoon,” said Mr. Young, who, on rising, was greeted with applause, “but it must be remembered that the congratulations belong to the whole of the Palmerston hospital district,” The Department, he said, was working all the time with the desire to co-operate with local bodies, and as far as hospital expenditure was concerned, the expert officers of the Department scrutinised all applications for capital expenditure, and as far as Palmerston was concerned, any expenditure which had been passed by the Department was fully justified.

Good progress had been made with maternity hospitals, he stated, but this could only go on where an institution was for the benefit of all the district, and it was up to a hospital board to see that any mother from any part of the dstrict was not refused the right of admission. Nurses would be tiained at the institution to go out to the country to the homes of mothers themselves, and while it was recognised that this, is possiole, was the best treatment, it was not always in the best interest of the patient to do it, “This institution is for the benefit of all who want its service,” he said, “and we all know that everyone desiring it will be able to get that service. The minimum charge is G/- per day, although where the wage rises the charge here rises proportionately.” The Hospital Board members ivere deserving of all praise for the work they had been doing, and the Minister pointed out that, of all ■ the capital expenditure agreed upon by the board members, half was paid by the Government under the direction of the DirectorGeneral of Health, Dr. T. H. Valintine, who was. being criticised in some parts for his programme of economy. The speaker acknowledged _ the efforts made by Sr James Wilson and Mr. J. A. Nash in connection with the building, and concluded m extending congratulations to the district on the completion of the building, which would dispense such valuable service.