PLUNKET CONFERENCE

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 46, 31 August 1928, Page 11

PLUNKET CONFERENCE

CONCLUDED TO-DAY BUSINESS AT FINAL SESSION Tlie final session of the Plunkot Conference was held, in the Dominion l^armors' Hall to-day. Votes" of thanks were passed to Miss Hoddinott and Mrs. M'George -for their excellent report' from the Central Council, which, was so set out as to bo of great uso to branches. Miss Pattinck's work as. Director of Plunkct Nursing was also eulogistieally referred to, and a voto of thanks passed to her as well. A voto of thanks was passed to tho Dominion Farmers' Union for tho uso of their hall for tho week free of charge. Tho Wellington branch was also thanked for the arrangements they had made for tho conference, and for their hospitality to visiting delegates, Mrs. Henry Hall being particularly thanked for gracious and ablo chairmanship at the conference, and tho Central Council for their work in connection, with the gathering. The balance-sheet was read and adopted. Mrs. Dohson (Daunovjrke) moved,, and it was carried,' that the conference recommend all branches and sub.branches to pay their nurses' expenses to local conferences. A voto of thanks was passed to Miss Ward, secretary of tho Wellington branch, for her work in connection with the .conference. Mrs. M'George- said she understood that it appeared to so:->o that the Duncdin Central Council was stressing tho question of remission of rates on Plunket rooms. She- would like to explain that this was not so. A great many branches had '.written in asking for the same thing. .Also in .explanation,: she dealt-with tho matter of Central Council expenses. - The council was..-a -largo organisation, and expenses, which included printing, propaganda literature, and extra typing (to mention items), had to bo paid by all the branches. Tho. Dunedin branch'paid tho accounts, and at tho end of tho financial year each, .branch received its levy, and paid it to tho Duuedin branch. It was almost two years before the. Duuedin vbraneh got it's money back. Dunedin branch also took tlie responsibility of-printing tho Plunket patterns, and of the "Feeding and Care- of the Baby," and she wished to make these explanations for. tho better understanding of the delegates. Dunedin did not benefit; rather tho reverse. ; Mrs. Craeroft Wilson (Christchurch) thanked Mrs. M.'George- for her explanation, and Mrs. Harding also .thank-, .(id-itlie Dunedin. braneli;pu bohaJJ.Qf .th.o. conference, for all it was doing for the society. . : It was agreed to leave the. levy payablo by sub-branches to branches-, as it stood at present, which is £10 per year for a visiting nurse for one day a month; £18 for one day a fortnight; ■£.35. for one day a week; and £60 for two days a week. ■ • The following amendment, was .carried to Timaru's remit regarding the interim conference: :<''That, an; annual meeting of the Central Council be held in Wellington in conjunction with, the Interim Conference." In reply to Mrs.. Decide (Upper Hutt), Mrs. M'George said that the matter of giving more representation to small ■ branchos on tho Central Council was being considered. ' The matters embodied in two Timaru rpriiits, (a) That iv view of the increasing comploxity of the business handled by. the Central Council, it is ■■■'urgently necessary that more time and ■Consideration be given to its election,. and (b) "That. all. nominations for Central Council bo handed in to the administrative secretary not later than the first day of conference," were left to Central Council to go into themselves. '..',.,. Timaru also forwarded a remit which was carried: "That Central Council be asked to make inquiries into the present position iv regard to the price .of oranges, particularly in the South Island, and that it take all possible stops to bring good and cheap fruit 'within the reach of mothers." : ; SUGAR OF MILK. The Edendale. delegate moved: "That in view of tho opposition expressed in this district against the use of Karilac when sugar of milk manufactured locally is not used in its composition, this sub-braueh moves that Edendale sugar of milk be used exclusively in the making Of Karilae, and not the imported sugar of niilk.''. '. -:, '_■' . . Sir Truby King gave a"uetauea account of his efforts twenty-two years ago to get sugar of milk imported into tho country. Nowadays there was ten times more sugar of milk given to babies in New Zealand than m any other part of the world. Sir Truby told of the difficulties which tho. Kantane Products Society had had to overcome in connection with the importation of sugar of .milk from., Holland, and its dealings with New Zealand manufacturers of the product. His addresa was listened to with attention, and at its conclusion the mover withdrew her motion, and the following was carried:1 "That the matter bo left entirely in the hands of the Karitane Products Society, in which the conference expresses its grateful confidence and.support. < The.meeting is satisfied that it would bo quite out of-place and against- the interests of mo.ther and child for the society to attempt to dictate to the Karitane Products Society, Ltd." „-. The question of salaries paid to relieving nurses, which was to be dealt with "by a sub-committee, is now to be left in the hands of "Central Council. Mrs. Parkes (Auckland) also withdrew her motion for the time being regarding the assessment of Central Council contributions on the number of nurses employed. ; '* ' HEALTH OF NATIVES. Ngaruawahia moved: "That representation be made to the Minister of Native Affairs recomendmg that m-i tive health nurses be given Plunket training in order to teach the work to the Maori race." „,..,. * The Hon. J. A. Young (Minister of Health) said that this matter really came under his Department. He gave a short account of- the different tribes in-the Waikato district. Some of the Maoris there, were rather backward and loathe to come into line. They had not yet assimilated our views of modern hygiene, but education was having its effect. Nurses dealing with the Maories required to be very skilled and highly efficient organisers so as to bo able to cope with typhoid outbreaks, which fever, although practically unheard of among Europeans, was still, unfortunately, • common among the Maoris. He would be pleased to give the remit his sympathetic consideration if carried, and where reasonable to have such nurses acquire aomo knowledge of Plunket methods. Tho remit was passed. The Thames branch suggested: "That the Con.tral Council bo asked to mako application to the Minister of Health to recommend to hospital boards when making appointments to the staff of any public maternity hospital or ward, that preference be given to nurses who have had Karitano hospital training; also that evory facility be given nurses to receive this training." Mr. Young Baid that.it was necessary to remember the difference between a midwife and a maternity nurse. A maternity nurse would not' be given charge of a maternity ward. She would have to be a midwife, who could take » case without » doctor, Hcj