PLUNKET SOCIETY

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27038, 13 May 1953, Page 2

PLUNKET SOCIETY

FOUNDERS’ DAY DINNER

Sir Truby King, founder of the Plunket Society, could, in his most sanguine moments, hardly havg envisaged such pfoof of the success of his work as was given in Beaths tea room last evening. There, 250 women, representatives of 24 Plunket Mothers’ clubs, met for the first dinner party arranged by the Plunket Mothers’ Clubs’ council to honour the memory of the founder of the society. Members of the council, of which Mrs R. L. Jacobsen is president, and Mrs D. C. Healey honorary secretary, are the president and secretary of each of the 24 clubs that form the council, the total membership of which is more than 2000.

Last night’s gathering was the first major social gathering undertaken by the council. It was a triumph of good management and great organising ability, and it showed that the Plunket Mothers’ clubs, the first of which was formed in Christchurch only about six years ago, are fulfilling the purpose for which they were formed—the stimulation of the social and educational side of Plunket work. From the enthusiasm shown at the gatherin’’ by members, many of whom had come from as far away as Ranigora and Lyttelton, it seemed likely that the council's founder’s day dinner would become an annual event. Specially invited guests were Mrs Ceci] Wood (patron of the council), Mrs Janet Williams (president of the Christchurch Plunket Society) and Mrs Arthur Rose (vice-president of the council and a member of the society’s Dominion executive). Mrs Jacobsen presided and welcomed members and guests.

Mrs Wood briefly outlined the history of the Plunket Society since its foundation, when Dr. King gathered round him a group of friends and told them of his consternation at the number of babies that were dying annually in New Zealand. At that time, Mrs Wood said, eight or nine babies in every 100 died each year. He asked his friends to help him to form a society for the preservation of infant life and he persuaded Mrs (later Lady) Hosking to become first president. Dr. King and his supporters met and overcame many difficulties in the early days of the society, when some persons regarded Dr. King as an idealist and a visionary. How well he and his associates laid the foundations of the society, Mrs Wood said, could be gauged by the great success of the society in the intervening years. She mentioned that Lady Plunket, wife of the then Governor of New Zealand and the mother of six children, had travelled New Zealand with Dr. King, advocating the importance of the natural feeding of infants and showing mothers how to make humanised milk, and that Mrs H. R. Smith, now patron of the society, attended the first meeting of the society held in Christchurch in 1907.

“We feel that young mothers who accept the work of the Plunket nurses as of right should, once "a year, commemorate the work and sacrifice of Sir Iruby King and his devoted wife and that members'of Plunket committees should rededicate themselves to the principles he laid down for the society.” said Mrs Wood. Mrs Williams congratulated the council on the great success of the party and on her own behalf and that of her executive she thanked members for their help. She said that with a donation from the mothers’ clubs the society's mobile unit had recently been renovated and redecorated. “We are looking forward to having the young mothers to carry on the work of the Plunket Society,” said Mrs Williams. “We feel that much of the work is now left to the grannies, but we want to get it out of the grannies’ class to younger members.”

An enjoyable concert programme was provided by Mrs V. Elmers (songs), Mrs Clare Sim (violin solos), Mrs M. McNair (accompaniments), Mrs D. Anderson (humorous recitations), and the Victory girls and Mr Desmond Wise.