In so far as hardships resulting from economic difficulties are genuine, the Committee believes that there is a real call for and that there are definite possibilities of relief by the State.

Two classes in particular call for most sympathetic consideration:—

(1) The wives of the unemployed, or of those precariously employed.

(2) The wives of those engaged in small farming, especially in the dairy-farming districts of the North Island.

For such women we consider that much could be done by way of financial, domestic, and obstetrical help.

Financial Help.—In general terms all efforts at social betterment—the reduction of unemployment, the improvement of wages and relief, the reduction of taxation, direct and indirect, and the provision of better housing conditions—should undoubtedly help to make conditions more secure and more satisfactory for the rearing of larger families.

But further than this, we believe that really adequate financial assistance directly related to the encouragement of the family is urgently called for.

It is perfectly clear that general financial improvement does not, itself, necessarily bring about larger families; limitation of the family is probably more prevalent amongst those more fortunately placed. What form this financial aid to the family should take requires much consideration.

The assistance is required not merely at the time of confinement, but also during the much longer period of the rearing and the education of the family.

A general extension of the maternity allowance under any national health scheme would afford some immediate financial assistance.

Income-tax exemption for children, however generous the scale, would not benefit these badly circumstanced cases, for already they are below the income-tax limit.

It would appear that further financial provision would have to take the form of a direct children's allowance.

It is suggested that this might be put into effect by amending the present Family Allowances Act to provide that—

(1) The amount be increased;

(2) The permissible income-level be increased;

(3) That, where given, the allowance be in respect of all the children in the family; and

(4) That the age-limit of the children be increased to sixteen.

Domestic Assistance.—Equally important is the provision of domestic assistance, and here we are faced with a problem of the greatest difficulty—a national problem which is affecting women in all walks of life and of which this is but one aspect.

In many farming districts it is clear that lack of domestic help is a greater burden to the harassed mother than even financial stringency.

Many admirable efforts are being made to give assistance in this direction—in the country by the housekeeper plans of the Women's Division of the Farmers' Union and other organizations, in the cities by the Mothers Help Society and similar agencies.

Extension of such system is highly desirable, and the possibility of their organization on a much larger scale with Government subsidy well deserves consideration.

In many cases these efforts are limited as much by lack of personnel as by lack of funds.

Alternatively, we suggest—

(1) That the Government should inaugurate and recruit a National Domestic Service Corps of young women agreeable to enter the domestic-service profession;

(2) That the recruits be guaranteed continuity of employment and remuneration as long as their service was satisfactory;

(3) That they undergo whatever training is considered desirable at technical school or otherwise;

(4) That they agree to perform service wherever required by the Domestic Service Department, which Department shall ensure that the living and working conditions are up to standard;

(5) That the service be made available to all women, and that first consideration be given to expectant mothers, mothers convalescent after childbirth, and mothers who have young families, and that the service be either free or charged for according to the circumstances of each case.

Again, realizing the fact that many of the considerations involved in this question of domestic help are beyond the scope of this Committee, we recommend that a full investigation should be made of the whole matter.

Obstetrical Aid.—As for obstetrical help, we believe that the position is in the main adequate and good.

As far as the larger centres are concerned, no woman, however poor her circumstances, need lack complete ante-natal supervision, for which no charge is made, and proper confinement care, at most moderate cost, in the St. Helens Hospitals or the various maternity annexes of the public hospitals; where the mother is actually indigent, free provision is available through the Hospital Boards or St. Helens Hospitals.

The country mother in certain districts is, however, much less well placed, although the Health Department through its district nurses, maternity annexes, and subsidized small country hospitals is trying to meet the need.

We commend all possible efforts in this direction, and suggest that transport difficulties as they affect the country mother be given special consideration.

To a certain extent transport difficulties can be eliminated by making more use of public hospitals nearest to the patient's residence, or of private maternity hospitals subsidized by the Hospital Board of the district.

Certain general criticisms of the maternity services are elsewhere discussed and certain recommendations are made.

It is in respect of overburdened and debilitated women of those classes who are not in a position to obtain it privately that we have suggested that the State might make provision for birth-control advice.

It is for such mothers especially that we have recommended the establishment of birth-control clinics in connection with our public hospitals.

We realize, however, that genuine economic hardship is not confined to the unemployed, the wives of struggling farmers, and those on the lowest wage-levels; relative to their own circumstances and responsibilities, the difficulties of many women whose husbands are in the lower-salaried groups, or in small businesses, for instance, are just as anxious. For these we should also advocate the extension of the maternity allowance and such further direct financial encouragement of the family as can be devised.

Here, too, is the definite need for domestic help—possibly on a subsidized plan.

Many of these women prefer to make their own private arrangements for their confinements, and to enable them to do so we suggest that further assistance might be given by the provision of more maternity hospitals of the intermediate type, in which these mothers may have all adequate facilities with the right of attendance by their own doctors. Here, too, we believe that proper knowledge of child spacing is most desirable, though we consider that this is a matter for private arrangement.

(2) Removal of Fear of Childbirth.

It has been indicated that whereas the majority of witnesses expressed the opinion that the fear of pregnancy and labour played little part in the demand for abortion, and that the majority of women were satisfied with the help and relief which they received at the time of their confinement, yet there were some witnesses who held very strongly that inadequate pain relief and lack of sympathetic understanding of the individual on the part of the attendants were factors of considerable importance.

We believe that these complaints are, as far as the maternity services in general are concerned, entirely