PLUNKET SOCIETY

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 144, 21 June 1933, Page 3

PLUNKET SOCIETY

LOWER HUTT BRANCH The annual general meeting of the Plunket .Society (Lower Hutt branch), held •last evening was presided over by the Mayor of Lower Hutt (Mr. J. W. AndiWs), who announced that in spite of bad times" the council had made its UFiial donation to the society, and had agreed to do certain drainage work to the grounds near the rooms. Mr. W. Nash, M.P., addressed the meeting on the work New Zealand was doing in the cause of .child welfare, pointing out the amazing strides made since a century ago children of seven years of age worked in the factories of England. Such conditions existed in China today, and the United States of America was not free of the reproach of child labour. The work of the Plunket Society, the kindergarten, and the school was extolled, and mention was made of the fact that in New Zealand medical attention was given by the State to 250,000 children. The result of the work was that New Zealand children Were, age for age, taller and heavier than British and American children. In New Zealand the death rate for tuberculosis was the lowest in the world, and the mortality rate for children of school age was steadily declining. The figures showed that owing to the financial stress, there was a slight increase of malnutrition, and Mr. Nash commended the work done by the Smith Family in providing milk to school children. The work of the dental clinic was commended, and mention was made of the value of the pamphlets issued free by the Health Department. The value of the family allowance was also stressed, lignres compiled by'the B.M.'A. in Wanganui showed that good food for a family of five could be had in Wanganui for 17s 9%d per week. Sir Truby King stressed the need tor the natural feeding' of babies, quoting figures to show that during the siege ot Paris, sixty years ago, mothers, in the absence of other, milk, were forced to breastfeed their babies, and these babies were stronger and better than those born in normal times. The danger of over-feeding was also proved by the fine stamina of children born in Germany and Austria during the. war period. Adults as well as children ate too much, arid' better health would result from less but more scientific feeding. Motions'of sympathy were passed with the relatives of the late Mesdames Clendon and Johnson. The following officers were elected:— President, Mrs. (i. W. yon Zedlitz; vicepresidents, Mesdames H. Sladden, E. L. •Marchant, C. J. Bennett, O. A. Chapman; committee, Mesdames W. IT. Earnshaw, F. N. ft. Meadows, J. Whitton, E. Salmond, A. F. Tosswill. G. Cooper, W. B. -Eainey, E. J. Hcffcr, 11. Mitchell, W. Nash, E. J. Graham, G. Luke, A. \V. McDonnell, F. N. Kenuer,. J- W. Andrews, Morrison, Brodie, Graham, and X 'Hutt; associate committee, Mesdames T. H. Campbell, G. L. Gieson, F. Campbell, R. Y. Collins, P. J. S. Huthnance, H. B. Gordon, T. O. Bishop, J.M. Mason, H. W. Kersley, W. H. Smith, D. C. Martin, H. E. Admore, S. Knight A. V. Shorter, P. Marshall, H. W. Maiden, J. P.' Phillips, W. P. Williams, J. G. Helyar, H. Hardcastle, H. Barron, and C. G. Burgess; advisoty board, Mrs. D. A. Ewen, Messrs. E. P. Bunny, D. A. Ewcn, E. W. Hunt, J. Mitchell. C. B. Robinson, A. W. Nisbet, W. B. Rainey, W. H. Earnshaw, F. Campbell, and Dr. AVhitton; lion, auditor. Mr. E. W. Hunt; hon. solicitor, Mr. E. P. .Bunny; hon. treasurer, Mrs. W. H. Earnshaw; hon. secretary, Mrs. Cameron.. ' ■ ' ■ - ' '. The officers of the Waiwhetu sub-branch are:—President, Mrs. W. Olphert; vicepresidents,. Mesdames Cotton, Leighton, and Robinson; hon. secretary, Mrs. 'B. Girling-Butcher; committee, Mesdames • Cockroft, Jenkins, McDiarmid, Nicholls, Owen, and Robinson; associate committee, Mesdames J. W.. Mackissack, D. S. Patrick. P. G. Reid, and D. Robertson. Officers for the Taita sub-branch are as follows:—President, Mrs. McArthur; vicepresident, Mrs. J. C. Mabey; lion, secretary, Mrs. A. Burgess; hon. treasurer, Mrs. F. Kitchener; committee; Mesdames E. L. Fuge, I. Wilson, W. M. Jackson, H. F. Muir, V. Silk.