PLUNKET SOCIETY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 126, 30 May 1934, Page 9

PLUNKET SOCIETY.

YEAR OF DIFFICULTY.

MORE WORK IN POORER AREAS,

A year of great difficulty for the committee, of steady progress, but very little expansion, is reported in the twenty-sixth annual report of the Auckland branch of tho Plunket Society, which is to be presented to the annual meeting to-inorrow. It is explained that every effort has had to be made to reduce expenditure as much as possible, but the raising of money becomes increasingly difficult. The outstanding feature of the year has been the increased work in the poorer areas, where the birth rate has increased, and with it tho difficulty of providing proper food and clothing for both the mothers and the babies. Many more cases of advanced malnutrition have come under the notice of the nurses than for some years. Visits paid by Plunket nurses to homes numbered 13,874, and those by patients and others to the offices of the society 81,790, of which 40,875 were adults, 32,286 infants and 8629 older children. New baby cases numbered 1166 for the city and suburbs, and 728 for out-stations. The retirement of Lady SinclairLockhart, after a presidency of three years, is referred to with regret. During the many years she has been associated with the committee, and the three years she has occupied the chair, her cheerful and optimistic outlook has done much to encourage the committee. Regret is also expressed at the _ forthcoming resignation of Miss Patrick, whose de\ otion to and knowledge of the work has done much to consolidate the society. The death of the senior medical officer, Dr. W. H. Parkes, is referred to with deep regret. _ „ Admissions to the Karitane Hospital and Mothercraft Home were: Mothers, 109; babies, 222. There were 15 deaths of infants, a mortality rate of 5.58 per cent, all of these deaths being due to prematurity. Details of the society's finances show that the credit balance at the beginning of the year was £1424, and at the close £1846. Government grants amounted to £1392; subscriptions, £592; general donations and proceeds from entertainments, £1205, and sales of Plunket preparations, £1081. The Karitane Hospital accounts showed a credit balance of £951, compared with £1050 for the previous year.