A DOUBLE EVENT

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 105, 6 May 1927, Page 8

A DOUBLE EVENT

KARITANE HOME IN USE

OPENING CEREMONY

EMULSION FACTORY HANDED OVER

Although the Karitauo Home at Melrose was opened by Her Hoyal Highness thu Duchess of York on 7th March, the building was not then fully | furnished and equipped for use, nnd it was not until yesterday afternoon that i tho ceremony of opening the hospital for permanent occupation by mothers and babies could bo held. The day Was, as tho Minister of Health (the Hon. J. A. Young) remarked, a '' double event,", for it also marked tho handing over by Sir Truby King of tho emulsion factory below tho homo to tho Karitaue Products Society, Ltd. The Mayor (Mr. C. B. Norwood) presided over what he described as practically his last oflicial function, and besides the Hon. J. A. Young, the speakers were Dr. Valintino (Director-General of Health), Mr. H. Amos, the Mayorelect (Mr. G. A. Troup), Dr. Corkill (honorary physician to the home), Mr. W. V. Hunt, and Sir Truby King. THE GBOWTH OP THE WORK. The Minister traced the growth of the Plunket-Karitane work, mentioning Sir Truby and the late Lady King as the founders of a society which now has a world-wide reputation. Sir Truby had discovered the unduly high rate of infant mortality, and tho fact that it was due to tho ignorance of the parents, and he had set himself to cure this ignorance. The result was that from having one nurse and one branch, the Plunket Society had developed until now there were CO odd branches, with 100 nurses, and the infant mortality rate had been halved. As far as the death rate during the 'first month of life was concerned, not a great deal had been accomplished. There was still much to be done in that direction. In the beginning the Rotary Club, said Mr. Young, had raised £2000 among themselves and then the Citizens' Committee was formed, and they set out to get the hospital. A sum of £19,600 had been collected, including the gift by Sir Truby King of tho land I on which the building stands, and a Government subsidy of £1000. Now I £4500 was needed to meet all liabili- , ties on capital accounts. Much had already been given—among tho outstanding donations were £1500 from I the Kirkcaldie family and £1000 each ! from Mrs. Maearthy Reid and Mr. Hope Gibbons, of Wanganui—but more ■ was wanted, and he hoped it would not i be many months before the Citizens' Committee would have the amount they wanted. SIR TRUBY'S ACHIEVEMENT. Dr. Valintino (Director-General of Health) referred to the work of the Plunket Society, particularly mentioning Miss Pattrick, who is director of Plunkot nursing,' and Mr. G. A. Troup (tho Mayor-elect) paid a very sincere tribute.to the achievement of Sir Truby King, who had not only had the vision of saving the women and children of New Zealand, but had been a-wise guido to those who had helped him develop tho scheme. In the unavoidable absence of the chairman, Mr. Sidney Kirkcaldio, and the vice-chairman, Mr. D. J. M'Gowan; Mr. H. Amos made a brief report on behalf of tho Citizens' Committee. He traced tho growth of the campaign for the building of a hospital from its inception. Although he hesitated in such a short report to mention particular names among tho many who had helped tho movement, there woro those who must bo mentioned, and ho hoped the j others whoso services were not specially noted would bo charitable. Mr Sidney Kirkcaldio and Mr. D. J. M'Gowan were first upon tho list, and tho valuable assistanco of tho Wolling- | ton Plunket Society with Miss Ward as secretary could not pass unnoticed. Miss F. Morton Low, Mrs. Georgo Nathan and her sub-committee, the Government (particularly the Primo Minister and Mr. Young), Mr. Norwood, and the City Engineer, Mr. Hart, the City Council as a whole, Mr. Bert Eoyle for tho use of the Grand Opera Houbc, and the Press were all thanked for their support. r Tho total, expenses, apart from the building and improvements to the ground, had been £2224 4s lOd. "In justico to the committee," said Mr. Amos, "it is only right to explain that more than half tho expenditure was incurred in our last effort by means of . a professional organiser, the position being that it cost £1158 to collect £4500. The position now is, that to moot tho balance of the contract price of £4921, to pay for tho furniture installed, £2000, and to meot sundry other expenses amounting to roucrhly £500, we requiro £4500 to complete our undertaking." The Eotary Club had given its promise to raise the whole of tho monoy for the building and furnishing, and it would fulfil it. If 45 citizens would give £100 each, the job would be done. Surely there should be no difficulty in | obtaining such a comparatively small sum when it was for such a groat bblect and when £20,000 had already been raised. J BRIGHT PKOSPECTS. Mr. Hunt spoko as a member of tho Kantano Products Society, Ltd., an aci count of which is published elsewhere and he was followed by Dr. Corkill' who stated that hitherto infants requiring dietetic care had gono to tho Children's Hospital, but now the Karitauo Home would reliove the Hospital of many of,those cases. He paid a tribute to tho work of tho nursing staff at the Children's Hospital, whore the conditions wero less favourablo than those at Melrose, where tho patients would have the benefit of the largo nursing staff which was so desirable for infant work. The Children's Hospital would, howover, still co-operate with the Karitane Home. Tho maternity hospitals were beginning to realise the value, of baby care, and with their work, that of the Children's Hospital and the agencies of the Plunket Sociotv ho considered the outlook for the babies of Wellington was exceedingly bright. GIFT OF RADIO SET. At a word from Mr. Norwood, three hearty cheers were given for Sir Truby King when he came forward to speak Ho announced first of all that Mr. W Goodfellow, of the New Zealand Cooperative Dairy Company, had donated a radio receiving set to the hospital (applause)—and after dealing with ante-natal care, the promotion of which he said, has been earnestly taken up by the Health Department and the Plunket Society, he stressed the desired co-operation of the Karitane Home with such institutions as the Homo of Compassion and tho Day Nurseries. A vote of thanks to the Mayor for presiding concluded tho ceremony, and those present wero then given afternoon tea, served inside by the committee, and allowed to explore both the hospital and the emulsion factory. In order to give an opportunity for'! the institution to be seen by visitors in general the Karitane Hospital and grounds and the emulsion factory will bo open to tho public from 2.30 to 4.30 p.m. to-morrow and on Sunday. '