PLUNKET SOCIETY.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15751, 18 November 1916, Page 5

PLUNKET SOCIETY.

DOMINION ORGANISATION. , FORWARD MOVEMENT IN PROGRESS. Some information regarding the Ro.val Society for the Promotion of tlic Health of Women and Children, or, as it is more popularly known, the PlunKei< Society, was given a representative of "Tho Press" yesterday by the Minister of Public Health, tho Hon. Cr. W. Russell. Tho Minister remarked that consequent on tho loss of population the Dominion was suffering on account of tho war, tho Government was giving special attention to tho subject of maternity. The Plunkefc Society lia4 been recently reconstructed, tho scheme which was laid before him by tho executive of tho Society having been adopted. Under that scheme the individual branch of the Society is the unit; springing from these branches is tho provincial organisation, represented by the Provincial Council, upon which will rest the responsibility of extending tho work of the Society within its district- Over all will be the Dominion executive which will" bo locatod in Dunedin, tho headquarters of the Society, in order that Dr. Truby King may continue tho magnificent work he has done in connexion with the Society _ Tho Dominion executive and tho Provincial Councils will meet once a year, and it is anticipated> that there will be 'ft rapid extension of the work. Dr. Truby King and IVlrs King are about to make a tour of ceriaiq portions of the North Island in which," at tho present time, the Society has no branches, and at tho beginning of next month tho Minister will join them f9r the purpose of holding meetings in Auckland and Hamilton with tho view, of extending tho work of the Society in the northern parts of tho Dominion. "I trust and believe," said tho Minister, "that the effect of what is being done will bo the saving of child lives that are now being lost for the want of scientific care and attention —care and attention that the Plunket Society's nurses provide. One of the ideas in my mind at present is the establishment of Karaitano Hospitals in each of tho other four centres- The Dunedin institution has done splendid work amd it is on education for any one to •Visit it. It is, in fact, a. baby hospital where children almost from the hour of their birth receive attention when required from highly trained specialists in nursing, who bring resources of science to bear upon the vital question of saving child life. And the work they do is rooord. I hope to see similar institutions in Christchurch, Wellington. Auckland, and I trust that the work wil] be taken up by tho Provincial Councils of the Plunket Society."