Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et prævalebit. MONDAY, JULY 14, 1919. SUFFER,—OR SUCCOUR ?

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9657, 14 July 1919, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et prævalebit. MONDAY, JULY 14, 1919. SUFFER,—OR SUCCOUR ?

Is tlie.re.. anything more piteous than, the cry of a: baby enduring pain? Could anything be more callous than to withhold possible relief ? After responding^ with spontaneous negatives to these questions, the Ashburton community should reflect on the fact that the locali branch of the ■ Society for the ;; Health of, JVbmen and Children-—-hereinafter termed for convenience, the Phmket Society-r-has for its niain aim the minimising of ills causing babies to suffer, and such work is greatly retarded for lack of funds. We believe that the crisis has only to be realised to be removed, and that the whole County will assist in undertaking what is an obvious duty. The annual report of the district branch, published in the '"Guardian" 6t Saturday, provided sufficient evidence that the Society is worthy of support. "Ten years' uphill work" has been borne by the local executive, and despite the handicap of limited means, remarkably good; results have been achieved. Last year, over 1400 mothers, and nearly 1400 babies were brought to the Society's room in .the Arcade, and the Nurse made dyer 1300 visits to the homes. What; a fine record of effort to prevent helpless babies or weakened mothers suffering more' than they need, and what immense value such work must be io the.; community. Yet the expenses were less than, .£5 a week !: Can better returns at the/price be; claimed for s expenditure made . for other purposes. anywliere in the district?. The Plunket Society's work in the * Dominioii is worldfajpecl,: the Homeland is frankly envious, and is jiow,; with other countries, paying New Zealand the sincerest form of flattery, namely, imitation. It was a singularly appropriate action of one lady who attended the Ashburton meeting to offer to pay one guinea per quarter subscription, which she had paid to the Lady Liverpool Society during the war. : The Plunket Society is to mothers and babies what the Red Cross and Lady Liverpool Societies were to the men on active service, and its appeal for public support should be as readily answered. Men, in particular, should evince enthusiasm, and make it their pleasing duty to arrange that whatever the Society's difficulties may be, lack of funds will no longer be one. We do not know if it is proposed to take up collections during the coming peace celebrations, but if it is, we suggest that these might well be devoted to the treasury of the County branch of the Plunket Society.