PROTECTION OF INFANT LIFE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3010, 6 October 1908, Page 4

PROTECTION OF INFANT LIFE.

Speaking on the Infants Protection Act amendment Bill, in the Legislative Council, yesterday morning, Dr. Findlay gave some interesting figures relating to the work of the societies of ladies that have been working under the active patronage of Lady Plunket in different centres. At Dunedin during one year, 330 babies had bsen attended by the nurses, and there were only ten deaths. At Auckland 121 were attended in six months, with only two deaths. At Christchurch 111 were nursed in the year, and there were only two deaths. At Napier, where a nurse was placed temporarily, 30 infants received attention in four months, and there were no deaths. At Wellington 70 cases were taken, with equally successful results. It was estimated by Lady Plunket that over 300 of these infants were seriously ill when the nurses were called in, and doubtless but for the aid of these highly-qualified nurses the majority of them would have died. Dr. Findlay described this movement as the best thing being done just now to grapple with the problem cf the declining birthrate, the most serious problem which New Zealand had to face.