PLUNKET SOCIETY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 181, 1 August 1936, Page 15

PLUNKET SOCIETY.

ANNUAL MEETING HELD

ELECTION OF OFFICERS,

An indication of the way in which the services of the Plunket Society are being extended to meet growing needs was given at the annual meeting of the society held at the Plunket headquarters. The chairman of the advisory board, Mr. J. H. Frater, presided.

"It is satisfactory to record," said Mr. Frater, in moving the adoption of thb

annual report, '"that the general fund shows a slight improvement on last year. This is largely due to the activities of the committee in promoting the photographic and antique exhibitions and to the generous response of the public to the street appeals. Donations have exceeded £1900, which shows a marked increase on the 1933 total, but much of this credit balance will have to be set aside to balance last year's deficit."

The financial position of the Truby King Ivaritane Hospital was also mentioned .by Mr. Foster, who explained that owing to increased expenditure on renovations and necessary alterations that had accumulated from the slump period, the hospital showed a slight loss, but this was not causing any undue anxiety. He urged the committee to impress upon the outlying districts the necessity of supporting the hospital, especially as so many of the cases came from these districts. Mr. Frater explained that it was proposed to build an extension on to the motliercraft cottage in order to provide for children of more mature years. It was hoped that this would provide valuable experience for the trainees and would also often help the mothers in hospital. He expressed the hope that parents would appreciate this new departure because the committee was in this way maintaining the real object of the society, which concerned itself with the future of the race.

The development of the Plunket work, Mr. Eraser continued, could bo gauged from the fact that 81 per cent of the babies born within the society's area came under the care and advice of the Plunket nurses, this Fhowing an increase of 0 per cent on last year, and the committee were concerned over the fact that the demands of the public could not be supplied in full. They had therefore decided to engage another nurse to meet this demand.

Dr. T. H. Pettit, the chairman of the honorary medical staff, in seconding the adoption of the report, also made reference to the extension at the Truby King Hospital to provide space for the older children and emphasised the excellent training this would provide nurses before they went out into other nursing positions. Up to the present only children up to 12 months were admitted, but this extension would provide for children up to three and four years of age. The report was adopted. The election of officers resulted:— President. Mrs. J. C. Allan; vice-presi-dents, Mesdames R. Coleman, IT. R. Kirker, J. H. Frater, E. Richmond, R. B. Cruickshank; honorary secretary, Miss if. J. Colegrove; committee, Lady Leys, Mesdames A. J. Beck, A. St. C. Brown, M. H. Campbell, H. A. Cooper, E. J. Cronin, L. C. 11. Dawson, Alan Donald, N. Dutliie, G. M. Fowlds, W. McK. Geddes, F. Hudson, S. Kenriek, J. B. Johnston: G. S. Lintott, J. M. McLachlan, R. £J. Milligan. K. B. Myers, B. Mackenzie, D. Ogilvie, D. Poison, A. C. Paterson, L. C. Rathbone, T. Russell, E. 11. Roche, L. J. Shrubsall, R. P. Towle, C. Webb. E. J. Wilkinson, T. T. Woodhead, W. H. Worrall, C. White, H. O. Wiles; executive committee, Mesdames J. C. Allan, J. H. Frater, H. R. Kirker, D. Nathan, C. Webb, R. Cruickshank, R. Coleman (acting), Miss M. J. Colegrove. The Truby King Karitane Hospital committee: —Mrs. E. Richmond (honorary secretary), Mrs. R. P. Towle, Mrs. D. Poison; treasurers, Messrs. A. R. and J. D. Elder; advisory board, Mr. J. H. Frater (chairman), feir George Wilson, Messrs. E. E. Nahler, R. A. Laidlaw, P. H. Upton. T. PI. Mackv, A. M. Gould, D. Nathan, J. F. Ewen, J. B. Johnston D. Poison, K. B: Myers, H. R. Kirker, Dr. E. B. Milsom.