WOMEN’S AIMS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 643, 20 April 1929, Page 6

WOMEN’S AIMS

COUNCIL MAKES REQUESTS MINISTER OF HEALTH APPROACHED The various aims of the National Council of Women were placed before the Minister of Health, the Hen. A. J. Stallworthy, yesterday when a deputation from the Auckland executive sought his co-operation. T)R- BUCKLEY TURKINGTON said that the council would support the Minister in anything he might do toward providing more maternity nurses; and the special hospitals for training them. She thought, too, that infectious disease cases in hospitals should be administered separately. Miss E. Melville said the council would not accept the idea that police matrons were policewomen of the type advocated by the council. “The council desires specially trained, educated wpmen for the work,” she added. Miss S. E. Jackson, a justice of the Children’s Court, suggested that the administration of the Child Welfare Act should be brought under one of the social welfare departments of the State, and that its head should have direct access to the controlling Minister. Social workers should be specially trained, especially the probation officers, for the success of probation depended largely on the officers responsible for enforcing the terms. The council also thought the Act should be amended so that a delinquent could be brought before a magistrate or presiding justice and admitted to probation without a conviction being recorded. Mr. Stallworthy said he was entirely in sympathy with the representation with regard to women police, and he could assure the council of his heartiest support in the movement to have them appointed. He congratulated the council on the excellent work it was doing, and said that were it not for the activities of the women in social welfare, New Zealand would be infinitely poorer.