PLUNKET SOCIETY

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 37, 12 August 1930, Page 11

PLUNKET SOCIETY

THE REDUCED VOTE

PROTEST TO GOVERNMENT

A strong' protest against curtailments made iv tho vote towards tho work of the Plunket Society was made by members of the Dominion Council of the society, who waited upon the Prime Minister (the Hon. G. W. Forbes) and the Minister of Health (the Hon. A. J. Stallworthy) to-day. The Minister of Health stated that there was -a possibility of the- society receiving a further grant in tho supplementary estimates. The Prime Minister said that in normal circumstances the Pluuket Society vote would be the last one that would be cut down, but at the present time there was a call for economy all round. He was not yet certain how the House would receive his proposals for raising extra revenue. The deputation was introduced by Mr. P. Fraser, M.P., who said it was unnecessary •to refer to the valuable work which was being done by the Plunket Society. He was suro Parliament would be very critical of any proposal to reduce the amount available to the society; .

On behalf of the. council, Mr. J. A. Johnstone (Dunedin) said they considered their claim for a continuance of financial assistance from the State was justified, by the public appreciation of the services given, and by reason of the fact that already more than double the amount contributed by the State j was raised annually, by voluntary effort. Payments during the last financial year amounted to ■ £55,792 is 6d, towards which, the State contributed £15,818 3s 2d. The payments met on account of the Kaxitano Hospitals were £16,631 6s 9d, towards which-the sum of £6750 was contributed by the State. Mr. Johnstone dwelt upon tho valuable work which had been done by the Plunket Societyiri the interests of the women and children of the Dominion. The society's' work was a humanitarian, educational, health mission, the success of •which was due to the fundamental principle that it was free to all. Today 65 per cent, of the babies born in the Dominion came directly under the care of the Plunket nurses. The society emphasised tho fact that they were not asking for financial assistance for any new undertaking; they were merely asking for the means whereby they might be able to carry on the work already established throughout the country, the growth of which was controlled by the public, and was beyond the power of the society. . They- merely asked for the continuance of tho State's assistance —a grant at the rate of £125 a year towards thr salary of each Plunket nurso appointed. Mr. Johnstone maintained that the late Mr. Seddon, tho late Mr. Massey, Mr. Coates, and the late Sir Joseph Ward .would never have contemplated for one moment a reduction in the grant for the maintenance of Karitane Hospitals or Plunket nurses. A NOBLE WORK. The Mayor of Wellington (Mr. G. A. Troup) said the men of New Zealand were glad to range themselves alongside tho women in the noble work they wore doing for the women and children of the Dominion. They felt that before any reduction was made in the vote to the Plunket Society every avenue should be explored tp raise the necessary revenue. The Plunket Society should be the last to suffer. The Plunket Society was probably one of the best advertisements that New Zealand -had. , " ''/' ""''■ : ' . The Minister of Health "'said that before any reduction was made the estimates were carefully examined, but it had to be remembered that there was only a limited sum of money available for the purposes of tho Health Department. It was unnecessary for him to dwell upon the valuable work which the society was doing. It was not correct tvo assume that .the society had been deprived of £6000; as a matter of fact, the shortage was only £1900, and it was possible that that amount would bo, made up in the Supplementary Estimates. QUESTION OF FINANCE. The Prime Minister said tho whole question was one of finance. This year they had to face a prospective falling off in revenue of £3,000,000, and it was necessary that every Department should exercise the utmost economy. They hoped that in another year the finances would be on an improved basis. No one realised more than.he did the value of tho work the Plunket Society was doing, and it was not his wish to reduce the income, of the society. However, they had to bear in mind that New Zealand was now passing through one of the most critical periods in its history, and it was tho duty of everyone to be as economical as possible. As Prime Minister, it was his duty to ask everybody, irrespective of the nature of the work they were doing, to _ watch their expenses, and endeavour, if possible, to reduce them to the absolute minimum. It was still his unpleasant task to introduce measures in the House with the object of making up deficiencies iii the revenue,'arid he was not at all certain how those proposals would bo greeted. He was still hopeful that it would ha possible to make some further allowance to the Plunket Society in the Supplementary Estimates. " .. .