THE BABY BONUS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 163, 27 November 1912, Page 3

THE BABY BONUS

THE COST TO AUSTRALIA. Sydney, November 10. It is officially estimated that about 120.000 claims -will be made each year for the maternity grant, or baby bonus, of .Co which the Commonwealth Government is no\v_m,'<king. An arithmetical progress indicates that parents are rapidly falling in .vith '1 he "e\v fashion of asking for the "fiver." On Tuesday of this ■week a record to da te was established in the number of applications for the bonus received on any one day. There were no fewer than IDS applications from Victoria, 134 from New South Wales, (12 from West An-'.alia. -IS from Queensland. 2.) from Tasmania, and 20 from South Australia, or 127 in. all. The multiplication of this total for one day by the number of days in the year, excluding Sundays, gives a total considerably more than "the official estimate, and would represent an aggregate grant of close upon £fi<;S.l)Po for a year. However. Tuesday's applications may be regarded as exceptional, as including a substantial proportion of arrears. The Department which administers the maternity allowance has taken care to let it be'known that it has not received any complaint to the effect that since the giving of the baby bonus doctors or nurses have raised their fees, or hospital have charged reoihers for treatment which was previously given free. At the request of the Government a committee of the T>ri<i-h Medical Association has been appointed to draft a circular giving advice to mothers as to pre-ma-ternity precautions. In connection with the applications for the grant which are now coining in, it is a very frequent experience that parents enquire carefully beforehand whe- , fher their names will have to be made public. They are assured that the utmost secrecy will be observed.