PLUNKET SOCIETY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 90, 13 October 1931, Page 3

PLUNKET SOCIETY

A BUSY PERIOD

PRESSURE OF DEPRESSION

The monthly meeting of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of AVomcn and; Children was held recently. There were present Mrs. Tythe-Brown (in the chair), Mesdames Richardson, Aiken, Symon, Miller, Hoggard, Leach, M'Eldownay, Collins, Hodson, Vickermau, Caughley, Bullock, Gordon, Paterson, Maylor, Ralph, Miss Barnett. Apologies were received from Mesdames S. Paterson, Burgess, Luke, Evatt, Johnson, Ilott, White, Wilson, Macarthy Reid, Miss Cameron. The meeting was opened by passing resolutions of sympathy with Mr. and Mrs. Hislop on the loss of their baby, and also with Mrs. D. M'Lean on the loss of her husband. The Plunket nurses' report gave the following particulars:—Total number of new cases, 147; total number of visits to homes, 1888; total number of visits to office, 2176 adults, 1581 babies, 263 children, detailed as follows: at headquarters, 791, 400, 92; Seatoun, 51, 37, 12; Miramar, | 115, 100, 12; Lyall Bay, 170, 156, 11; Hataitai, 146, 124, 12; Newtown, 106, 100, 2; Island Bay, 101, 88, 12; Brooklyn, 07, 85, 17; Kelburn, 49, 44, 5; Karori, 140, 118, 20; Northland, 56, 43, 13; Wadestown, j 76, 62, 12; Ngaio, 54, 51, 2; Khandallah, 78, 65, 8; Johnsonville, 54, <i, 10; Porirua, 5, 5,—; Plimmerton, 8, 5, —; Pukerua Bay, 1, 1, —; Eastbourne, 78, 53, 20. Visits were paid to Ngahauranga, Tawa Flat, Titahi Bay, Paremata, Pahautanui, and Kaiwarra. Analysis of feeding: Babies wholly breastfed, 122; partially breastfed, 15; •artificially fed, 10; expectant mothers, jiew cases, 40; expectant mothers still under supervision, 197. The nurses thank the ladies who motored them to their cases during the month, and Mesdames Blackburn, M'Pherson, Catchpole, Gordon, Dennett, Rogers, Lear, and Martin for parcels of clothing. The nurses report a constant need of clothing, and would be glad of clothes for babies and toddlers, and also for adults. The committee members all expressed their keen desire to help the city in the present difficult times. The committee|s responsibility is no light one, and it is only by never relaxing their efforts throughout the year that the society's liabilities are met. The committee has undertaken to carry on "the aims and objects" of the society—to train and employ qualified nurses whose duty it is to give sound; reliable instruction, and advice gratis to any member of the community desiring such service in the homes; and secondly to maintain the Kaiitane Hospital. This is, a very big undertaking: at least two-thirds of the money required to carry. on the Plunket nursing service (apart from the Karitane Hospital) has to be raised independently of the Government giants, and this must be the committee's first objective. In spite of this, however, the reports showed that a great deal, further is being done. Several of the sub-committees have organised sewing meetings and have undertaken to' clothe the babies, in their districts, whose parents are iv- difficulties. Central1 Committee members' are' doing the same through the Plunket nurses,! and the society itself has given greatly to parents who are in need of babies' -food. The committee is most grateful to several donors of money, which has enabled the nurses to help many families who are in temporary difficulties and who are reluctant to apply for aid. Several of the committee members in the suburbs, md also in the centre, are working in •onjunction with the different relief comnittees, but it was felt that closer eoaperation would be helpful, and Mrs. Tythe-Brown.; was appointed to confer with the Mayor in the matter. Mrs. Corkill was granted leave of absence until the end of this financial'year. Mrs. Henry Hall has_ been, appointed the society's representative on the Earthquake Comrai'ttee, and a' hearty "vote .of thanks, was passed to her for the- work she had already done in this connection. | The treasurer acknowledges the following donations and subscriptions:—A letter from the Hastings branch enclosing £10 10s for the Karitano Hospital, with "grateful appreciation of all you are doing for our Hawkes Bay babies"; iis.l. /Truth,"-- £10; Mesdame* Cuthbert -- and Boys, £1 Is each; box money, £1 15s; Mesdames Spiers and Sanders, ss .."each; Received from sub-committees:—Kelburn: Proceeds of. dance, £7 10s; Mesdames Troup and Zander, 10a each; Mesdames Gibbons,^ Thompson, Flanagan, Moodie, and Miss Bell, 5s each; total, f0 15s. Newtown: Proceeds of card party, £2 10s; email donations, £1. Seatoun! Per Mrs. Higgins, £3 ss; sale of cakes, etc., £4 7s; Mrs (.Wright, £2; Mesdames Howard and Page, 5s each; total, £10 2s. Brooklyn: | Proceeds of dance, £6 6s 6d; proceeds of competition, per Mrs. Newtown, £4 10s; Mr. Sehloss. £1; Mckdames Underbill, Carpenter, Wannell, and Incercrity, 5s each; sale of cake, 3s u total, £12 10s Od. Hataitai: 'Proceeds of 'card '.party, £2 4s; box money, 14s; small donations, 7s 6d; Mesdames Redstone, Renouf, Batt, Ardell, Evans, 5s each; total, £2 10s 6d.- Ngaio: Balance of dance money, 7s 6d; Mis. M'Gregor, 10s; Mrs, Lynneberg, ss; Miss Lyuneberg, ss. Karori: Children's party,: £8 2s 6d; Mesdames E'oson, Fraser, and de- Winter, 10s each: liesdames Suulej% Baird, Scott, Morton, Mihvard, Pringle, Andrews, Maylor,- Booms, Jennings, 5s each; Mrs. Jennings, 7s 6d; total, £12 10s.- Wadestown: Sale of blankets, £1 2s 6d; bridge afternoon, £1; Mrs. Pillar, ss; total, £2 7s 6d. Northland: Proceeds of competition, £2 8s; proceeds of dance, £1 3s 6d; Mrs. Stott, 10s; Mesdames Lowe and Jacobsen, 5s each; total, £4 11s 6d. The matron of the Truby King Kanlane Hospital reported:—Admissions for the month, 7 mothers and 17 babies. The length of stay of mothers ranged from one day to three weeks, the average stay being eleven days; the length of stay of babies ranged from one day to three and a half months, the average being 33 days. Cases were admitted from Hastings, Pahiatua, Pahautanui, Petone, Lower Hutt, Foxton. Otaki, and Wellington and suburbs. There were/ 361 visitors during the month. The matron thanks the following for gifts:—Sir Truby King, pictures; Mrs. Barnett, old blankets; Mrs. Bnrt, fresh eggs; Mrs. Fraser, knitted garments; Miss Silk, babies' frocks; Miss Stewart, fruit; Mrs. Shaw, frock; Miss Lynneberg, bootees; Mrs. Foby and the Misses Robinson and Wilson, flowers. The matron reports that the admissions for the last few months, in fact during the whole period of economic distress, have included a great number of babies who have been ■ treated, free of charge, whilst others have been in residence at purely nominal fees. Mothers with their babies, after leaving the nursing homes and before returning to take up the management of their own homos and families, have come for a week or so, benefiting greatly by the' rest and change, and appreciating very much the advice ,aud lielp given, and the society has been very glad to give the help that lias been asked for. ■