BENEFICENT WORK

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 260, 29 July 1932, Page 12

BENEFICENT WORK

Plunket Society’s Year A GOSPEL OF HEALTH Tribute to Its Founder Sterling tribute to the work carried on by the Plunket Society during a very difficult year was paid by the Mayor, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, the Minister of Health, Hon. J. A. 'Young, and. Dr. T. F. Corkill when speaking last evening at the twenty-fifth annual meeting of the Wellington branch of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children held at the Dominion Farmers’ Institute Hall last evening. In moving the adoption of, the. annual report, the Mayor, who presided, said it gave him great pleasure to see present that evening Sir Truby King, and also-the Minister of Health. As with all other societies, the year had been one of great difficulties, incurred through curtailed funds and increased demands; nevertheless they had come through successfully and the society had been able to meet,lts obligations. He knew through the Mayor’s fund that the society’s activities had been greater than in the past, because of the great help which had been given the needy; community during the past year. The Mayor also congratulated those responsible for the organisation of. the ball, which had yielded about £450 as against £5OO last year, which was, in view of the times, a great tribute to all concerned.

He congratulated the society oh its beneficent work, and said that its members always had the inspiration before them of the founder, who had started the work, and through a life-long devotion had built It up to its present position and under whose inspiration dt would go forward to render even greater service in the future than in the past . Great Work Done. In recording the motion, the Minister of Health congratulated the society for the excellence, of its work, achieved in a difficult year. All societies which were rendering social service to the community and which depended on voluntary assistance had their difficulties, and yet in spite of these great work had been done by the society. There had been some criticism on the score of extravagance at the Karitane Home, but one had only t 6 peruse the report to see how economically ttirpt" home had been run. * ' The Plunket movement preached the gospel of health for the mother and child In the community, and if the babies could not be. fed as nature intended they saw to it that it got thenext best thing as far as was humanly possible, the Minister continued. In that respect, he said, the whole world owed a debt of gratitude to Sir Truby King. Through the help and advice given, the percentage of mothers who fed their babies as nearly as possible in the natural way had increased in ten years from 81.72 ..to 87.31, and it must be gratifying for Sir Truby King, Dr. Corkill, and other authorities < interested to see that Increase. Low Infantile Mortality. Further, deaths per 100 in the. first year of life were lower in New Zealand than in any other country in the world, an achievement when it was remembered that the movement had only been initiated 25 years ago. It had been reduced in that term from 88 per 1000 to 30.15, which was something to be proud of, and brought home to everyone the value of statistics, which were a stock-taking on the work in which the society was engaged. Dr. T. F. Corkill also spoke, congratulating the society on the work of the year, and praising especially the work of the nurses. He referred to thegood relations of the society with the regular obstetrical services." Sir Truby King added his-thanks to all who had assisted during the year, and especially thanked the president, Mrs. Tythe-Brown, who,-as Miss Campbell, had been the best nurse in the Plunket Society. Sir Truby also dispelled the idea of any extravagance at the Karitane Home. He also spoke of the signal service rendered by the Rotary Club. Officers Elected. \ Election of officers resulted as follow:— President, Mrs. Tythe-Brown; vice-pre-sidents, Lady Luke, Lady Hosking, Lady Chapman, Mesdames A. Me Vicar, W. Luke, Macarthy-Reid, G. Cook, C. Richardson, J. Hannah, H. Hall, Hope-Gib-bons, Miss Barnett, Miss Cameron; honorary committee, Mesdames’Corrigan, J. Kirkcaldie, Chatfield, F. Leckie, J. G. Coates, W. Bethune, J. Joseph, J. Gear, Nurse Willis, Miss Kane, Dr. Ada Patterson, and Adjutant Glover; general committee, Mesdames D. McLean, F. Hodson, F. W., Downs, W. A. Parton, G. Johnson. J. McEldownay, D. A. Aiken, G. C. Miller, F. Symon, F. C. Burgess, J. M. A. Hott, T. F. Corkill, S. Paterson, R. B. Wood, C. G. White, W. Bullock, G. F. Wilson, T. A. Hunter, V. Rhind, W. H. Price, G. Robertson, W.’ Pearce, L. Moor. J. A. W. Crasser, H. Vickerman, L. 11. Wood. C. Miles, P. B. Cooke, Miss S. Nathan, Miss A. Kane; sub-committee representatives, Mesdames W, Binet Brown, E. Evatt, E. W. Paterson, G. S. McNnir, T. G. Gray, A. O. Leach. J. Ralph, E. D. Good, H. Jowett, A. May, ler, R. Bringans, W. Gordon, J. A. Nichol, E. S. Nees; coastal towns’ subbranch, Mesdames Hassell and Swainson ; advisory committee, Sir Truby King. Dr. Elliott, Dr. T. F. Corkill, Dr. SI. Gray, Messrs. S. Kirkcaldie,, W. F, Ward, and P. C. Watt; honorary auditors.’Slessrs. Hunt, Turner, and Heslop; honorary architect, Mr. Gray Young; honorary solicitor, Mr. W. F. Ward.