The Dominion FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 1932. “OUR BABIES”

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 171, 15 April 1932, Page 10

The Dominion FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 1932. “OUR BABIES”

In The Dominion yesterday there appeared a remarkable manifesto from Sir Truby King, General President of the Plunket Society. It was remarkable in two respects. Firstly, lt sounded A courageous note of self-help in a difficult time when less assistance can be expected of the Government. Secondly, it expressed the arr J that the New Zealand infantile mortality rate, now 33 per 1000 births or 3.3 per cent., would be progressively reduced to 1 per cent; in 15 year Yhe work that the Plunket Society has done and is doing under the inspiring leadership of its founder, and the benefits that have accrued to the commbnity as a result, are familiar to everyone. Ihe Plunket system for safeguarding maternal and infant welfare, m fact, has made such headway ip public opinion thh.t its methods have almos. become a matter of normal routine wher.e the health of babies and their mothers is concerned. The society would therefore have been quite justified in expecting that it would be secure from the effects of the Government’s economy measures. Sir Truby King, however, quite definitely says that “the first duty of the Plunket Society is to assist the Government (irrespective of class, station, or party), to wm through; and this the society is already doing.” As an instance, the society has reduced its direct expenditure and “calls ofi the Treasury” as far as possible, consistent with efficient service to mother and child. Again, it is appealing to parents to assist in this connection by making more frequent use of the Plunket rooms for consultations instead of making unnecessary requests for the Plunket nurses to visit private houses. It should hardly be necessary to emphasise the point that self-help is an essential condition of success in-social welfare work at the present time. If parents can co-operate with the society in reducing .the cost of its services they will help themselves at the same time. Sir Truby King in this instance has set a worthy example to the community, and especially to those bodies who may feel inclined to slacken’ their efforts because less Government assistance is available. , . The manner in which New Zealand has reduced its infantile mortality rate to its present low figure has attracted the attention of every civilised country. But Sir Truby King has set a new mark at which to aim. “The world,” he declares, “will be quite incredulous as to the possibility of ever bringing our infantile mortality rate below 2 per cent. Wait and see.” Here in New Zealand, where his work is more intimately known, such an achievement is more easily conceivable. Apart from the humanitarian virtues of the Plunket system its social and economic values are of vital importance, especially in countries showing a steadily-falling birth-rate. Since 1921, the birth-rate in New Zealand has fallen from 23.34 per 1000 to 18.80 in 1930, while in Australia the decline has been from 24.95 to 19.93 in the same period. In this country, however, the decline has been partially compensated for by a decrease in the death-rate. Fewer babies are born, but more of them survive their birth and early infancy. The importance of this is emphasised by a reference to the birth and natural increase rates of other countries. Trinidad, for example, has a comparatively high birth-rate of 31.4 per 1000, but its natural increase of population, 11.3 per 1000. is only a fraction above New Zealand’s 11.2. Spain’s birth-rate of 29.4 is heavily off-set by a low natural increase figure of 10.3. Egypt, with the highest birth-rate in the world' (43.3 per 1000), shows a natural increase of 17.7 only. In these countries infantile mortality is heavy. The Plunket organisation, with its slogan of “healthy mothers and healthy children,” is a great asset to this young country, helping . to raise a new generation of strong constitution, greater vigour and improved physique. The success of the movement is due to the fact that it provides for the beginnings of the, race, in motherhood and infancy. It is to be hoped that the community, not only conscious of Sir*Truby King’s achievement, but also grateful for benefits received, will respond in the right spirit to his appeal for its co-operation in this difficult period.