THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1908. KEEPING THE CRADLE FULL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9185, 7 September 1908, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1908. KEEPING THE CRADLE FULL.

It will no doubt be concede 3 by the Attorney-Genet a! when he reads the letter addressed to him on the above question by a Kaituna settler, and which we published on Friday, that the writer has brought home a plain truth in pointing out with emphasis that financial considerations weigh heavily with the masses nowadays when it comes to a question of "filling the crladle." While Dr. Findlay's correspondent does not say exactly "the masses," but puts the case from the "struggling settler's" point of view, it will scarcely be denied that the domestic apprehenaivenes* of the doctor's and nurse's bill and the general outlay occasioned by the arrival of a "little stranger," is not peculiar to the plodding "man on the land." It would, of course, be idle to assert that even if the finan:ial problem were made easier of solution by State or other assistance, the objection of the benedict to become a pater-

familias would be entirely removed. The pecuniary objection may, however, be regarded as one of the chiefest, and in lessening or eliminating that a salutary effect on the birth-rate might lie confidently anticipated. The late Prenier was no doubt inspired with noble moiives in aiming at the utmost protection for infant life, and coincidentally for the maternal parent, by the legislation which he introduced to secure that none but trained, qualified and registered persons should have in their care all cases of maternity. Neglect and incompetence had prior to this legislation accounted for the losa of numberless infant lives and the lives of mothers, and the principle underlying our modem enactments passed with the object of preventing, as far as possible, the annual infant sacrifice on the altar of | ignoranca is inviolable. But even in the short time which has elapsed since the most important measures concerning infant and mother protection were passed, it ha 3 been found that the certificated nurses and midwives practising has been far below the number required, even in these days of a declining birthrate. In Masterton even at -one period last year there were numerous complaints that qualified nurses were absolutely unavailable, and the only course open to those requiring the services of one was to attend private maternity hospitals. Now the3e admirable institutions are a very great conveniencce to many people, and but for them considerable expense might be entailed on country folk, where medical attend-

ance is not readily accessible. But at the same time the private hospital tariff, necessarily higher than would be the total cost of the combined services of a doctor and nurse in a private home, is not within the means of every family man, and it is often un desirable in oMier ways that a mother should be compelled to bo treated away from home, as is frequently the case now. It is plainly the duty of the State, which has, as it were, made somewhat of a luxury the parental instinct, to make every reasonable effoit to prevent its good intentions as embodied in past legislation being stultified for want of a little further effort. In most of the Government's attempts at advanced

socialistic legislation the city has invariably derived the greatest, and sometimes the only, benefit. The city, gets State coal, workers' homes, and sundry other things, and, of course, it gets the Government maternity institutions, where rich and poor alike may, if they so desire, have the benefit of State aid to the family.;, increment at a wonderfully reduced cost. It may be pertinently asked, where does the ountry come in under all this beneficent legislation? If there is one there are twenty provincial centres in New Zealand where institutions like St. Helen's Home, in Wellington, could advantageously be established. State in-lying hospitals, conducted on the excellent lines of St. Helen's Home, promise to go very close indeed to solving the financial question confronting fathers of to-day. Even in the city they want more of these homes, which are doing a great work. Ln the course of time the State home nurse will come, and a boon to the poor man she will be. Thoughtful politicians might well devote some attention to the great national question of how the cradle may be kept full without burdensome cost.