PLUNKET SOCIETY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 128, 30 May 1918, Page 9

PLUNKET SOCIETY.

The tenth annual report of the Royal Xew Zealand .Society for the Health" ot Women and Children, which is to be presented at the annual meeting- tomorrow, shows that each succeeding year brings greater responsibilities as the knowledge of the good work done by the nurses spreads abroad. The Society has now two large rooms in 'the Strand Arcade, and two nurses arc kept busy the greater part of the day. Communications have been received asking it branches could be opened in several country towns, and it is hoped to do this during the next few months. With the generous assistance supplied by the citizens during the recent campaign, the Society will now be able to keep four nurses in constant work. The report refers to the good work done during the recent campaign by the committee or ladies am gentlemen who had the matter in hand. Reference is also made to the lectures delivered by Dr. Truby King and the president "of the Dental Association, the latter upon the care ot the teeth, before the birth of the child. Miss E. Partridge's report upon the Plunket Societies' war work shows that although their helpers arc few they have made 2150 garments. These have ueen shipped to England for the babies of British soldiers and sailors. All these garments are made with new wool and flannel. The total number sent away uy the workers since the beginning ot the war is 13.150. Special mention is made of the work done by Mrs. Broadbent, who has made 400 finished garments during the year. Many interesting lettere from England have been received in return. Through the Plunket nurses several bundles of garments have been given to necessitous cases. A complete | *et of baby garments, as supplied under Br. Truby King's directions, have 'been fent away to the United States, where It is hoped a similar work will be started. The summary of the year fhows that the visits of mothers and babies to the nurses' room in Auckland during the year were 10,88(1. At TakaPuna branch Sdo applied for help. One"Unga 580. Devonport 453. and at Avondale, during February and March, only a? called. The nurses have made 5093 visits to the babies in their homes, and pven advice to nursing mothers in 3008 The donation boxes in the various °ffi«s have yielded i"22 5/9, which, although not a large sum, shows that *jj« mothers give what they can to show Weir gratitude for the work -one.