MATERNITY PENSIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 323, 12 July 1912, Page 4

MATERNITY PENSIONS.

Zealand, with its maternity grant and Australia with its baby bonus proposal, are not by any means the only countries in the world that are endeavoring to piovide for those of their citizens who are obeying the holiest to keep the cradles full. Two European nations whose eflorts in this direction are particularly interesting are Sweden and Austria. A commission appointed some time ago by the Swedish Parliament to investigate the advisability of grantm* maternity pensions to women industrial workers', lias recommended that, as the birth-rate among these classes is steadily increasing, a certain sum should be granted to women workers during their confinement, and a further weekly grant as long as they remain at home 'for the the purpose of nursing their babies themselves. Tn Austria it is proposed that very advanced maternity pension scheme shall be tried. This, besides providing for the very poorest-class mother, embraces also the women of the lower middle clas*. The various clauses propose to give free attendance of midwife and doctor, and, if necessary, a trained nurse; a premium amounting to nearly .£.l a month to each mother who nurses per child for three mouths, and a further allowance if the period is extended to six months; and the provision of special rooms in the factories 'where the mothers can leave their babies in the charge of trained attendants. "