MIDWIFERY

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 59, Issue 101, 31 May 1930, Page 4

MIDWIFERY

It ivill indeed be gratifving to all those people in Hawke's Bay wlio were in any wav connected with the recent campaign promoted at the instigation of the Obstetrical Society to observc the success that has attended their efforts. In this respect a bricf, but pleasing, ceremony at Wellington several days ago marked the termination of a campaign that will do much in fostei'ing the well-being of the communitv in the years lo come. Hawke's Bay Avill be particularlv pleased with the success of this undertaking, for this province, led by that enthusiastic social worker, Hrs T. H. Lowry, did noble service in obtaining the quota allotted to it and in assisting in the eonduct of the campaign generally. The appeal initiated by the Obstetrical Society was launehed early in the present year with the object of raising £25,000 for the foundation of'a chair of obstetrics at the Otago University. This amount, with a Government subsidy, would, we were told, render the endowment of the desired university chair a practical proposition, and it is indeecl satisfaetory to note that the people of New- Zealand have contributed this magnificent sum in so short a time. There will in consequence be tendered to the Obstetrical Society and all those associated with it in the conduct of this campaign the hearty congratulations and good wishes for the suecessful establishment of this allimportant branch of the science of midwifery. Actually the effort put forward by the various committees in • all p'arts of New Zealand has resulted in the collection of public subscriptions not of £25,000, as was aimed at, but of £81,700, which, with th© Government subsidy, will ensure the success of the undertaking and secure for many years to come a chair of obstetrics that must provide for this Dominion a standard of midwifery teaching for New. Zealand students never hitherto pro-

vided for. Most people will want to know what is to be done with the surplus above the £25,000. This has already been gone into and finally settled. The proposal is to devote the sum of £6700 to scholarship research purposes related to obstetrics, and Sir Thomas Sidey, Attornev-General and Leader of the Legislative Council, has expressed the view that an amendment may be secured of the Government regulations relative to subsidies on scholarships held outside the Dominion. It will therefore be seen that the campaign has been well organised, and the success of the undertaking has demonstrated public recognition of the importance of the effort on behalf of maternal welfare in New Zealand. The Obstetrical Society carne mto operation sorne three; years ago as a branch of the British Medical Association in this country, and it has not been slow in giving practical evidenee of its usefulness. The first consideration to which the society turned its attention was the matter of the education of students in the important subject in which ifc^was interested. Its efforts in this short space of time have accomplished the creation at Otago University of a permanent Chair of Obstetrics in conjunction with the estahlishmeiit by the Government of the new midwifery hospital in Dunedin as a necessary factor in the educational scheme. On this hospital the Government -is spending the sum of £50,000, and it was generally coneeded that, being the centre of medical studv in New Zealand, Dunedin 's claim to the hospital was undisputed. Those who have a full knowledge of the great need for the establishment of this new midwifery hospital and the association with it of the Chair of Obstetrics will indeed feel gratified that the public have responded so liberally in this great humanitarian eause. It stands to the predit of the people of New Zealand, where they have taken the view that everything concerning midwifery in the Dominion must be of the best. To all those associated with this highly .cl'editable performanee_ we offer " our hearty congratulations. This co-ordinated effort will, we feel sure, be produetive of immense benefits to the people of this eotratry as a whole.