PLUNKET SOCIETY

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 146, 22 June 1934, Page 15

PLUNKET SOCIETY

VALUE OF WORK

ANNUAL MEETING OF BRANCH

"It a great tribute to the initiative and determination shown by the members of your society that in these difficult times the important national work you are doing has been carried out during the year as successfully as it has been in' the past," said the Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop) at the annual meeting of the Wellington branch of the Plunket Society yesterday. The work of the society, he added, had become an integral part of the national social activities. The Plunket movement was deserving of the greatest possible support of all sections of the cornniunity. The Mayor read a message from Sir. Truby King expressing regret that it was impossible for him to attend the meeting. Sir Truby sent his:heartiest good wishes. ~ , On the motion of the Mayor, a resolu-' tion was carried expressing regret at Sir Truby King's inability .to be present and expressing the heartfelt gratitude of the meeting for his great work. In a letter of apology for his absence, owing to indisposition, the Minister of Health (the Hon. J. A. Young) said the AVellington branch of the Plunket Society was deserving of the utmost encouragement for the stouthearted manner in which it had faced the financial position. He a warm tribute to the work of the society, including the valuable social service being done in eonneetion with the Karitane Hospital and the giving of emulsion and karilac free to necessitous cases. No better evidence, he said, was needed to demonstrate the will and strength of the humanitarian purpose of ths executive than the Karitane Hospital work, which involved no small measure of self-sacrifice on the part of the branch. SUCCESSFUL ACHIEVEMENT. After expressing regret at the unavoidable absence of the Minister of Health and the Director-General of Health, Dr. Ada Paterson (Director Division of School Hygiene, Health Department) said she felt it an-honour to convey their congratulations to the society i'or another year of valuable work. . "Your report gives irrefutable evidence of successful achievement and striking testimony .of the service to humanity which is so efficiently rendered by voluntary organisations such as the Eoyal New Zealand Society, for the Health of "Women and Children. The valuable assistance, in promoting the health of the community rendered by voluntary organisations is keenly appreciated by the Department of Health. LOWEST INPANT MORTALITY RATE. "It is to be seen that the infant mortality rate for the year. 1931 is 31.60 per thousand live births. This is a. trifle higher than for 1932, which was 31:22, but is still- an incredibly low figure as judged by the experience of only a few years ago.. It is of interest to note, that in a report to the Medical Research" Council of 'Britain,- Dr. William Brend gave it as his opinion that the irreducible figure for infant mortality was 25 per 1000 of live birtha. Though New Zealand has not yet reached it, the' low figure for infant mortality in New Zealand in' recent years indicates that our irreducible minimum is certainly below 25. _We must, of course recognise that an irreducible minimum does exist, and that the most .enlightened efforts in ensuring good conditions of nurture for infants cannot entirely eradicate inherited weaknesses and imperfections. "It is interesting, too,, to find that New Zealand's vital statistics other than those referring to' infant •' mortality wan-ant some optimism. The death rate per thousand of children between one and five years has declined from 6.17 in 1901 to 2.74 in 1932. The death rate per thousand.between the ages of 5 yeara and under 15 has declined from 1.77 in 1901 to 1.04 in 1932. Our tuberculosis death rate per ten thousand of mean population (incidentally it is the lowest in the world) for 1933 equals 4.16, as against 4.22 for 1932. Our general death, rate per 1000 of mean population in 1933 was 7.98 as against 8.02 in 1932. The expectation .of life, for which New Zealand holds the world's record, was, according to the last figures of the Government Statistician, 62.76 yeara for men and 65.43 years fqr women. As against this the figures with regard to the birth rate per 1000 of mean population for 1932 ai-e 17.09, and 1933 16.59. . . . As a powerful factor in establishing a sound foundation.»pbii..?(vhich the whole structure'of ,iiealth; is.--buiii;,;.your society deserves the-..thank?'of.-. vtKe. community," said.Dr. Paterson.. ■'. , v '; A summary of the animal report has .tieen*;published in f'The PoSt^." \ ELECTION OF OFFICERS. : ..The flection of .officersViesulted; as follows: —President, Mrs.vi'ythe Brown; vice-presidents, Mesdames /'<!!. B. Eichardson,' W; Luke, Wv Biitlbek, TJ'L. 'Gray; T. P. >Vautiei-,, Misses. A". Barnott and.E. Cameron; -honorary vicepresidents, Lady .Luke) Lady iHosking, Lady Chapman,'Mesdanics A. McVicar, Macarthy Reid, G. Cook, H. Hall, Hope Gibbons, Dr. and Mrs. Young. : General committee: Mesdames ;F. Hodson, W. A. Parton, G. Johnson, J. McEldowney, D. A. Aikon, G. C. Miller, P. Symon, F. C. Burgess, T. F. Corkill, B. B. Wood, C. G. White, G. F. Wilson, V. Ehind, W. H Price, Graham Robertson, W. Pcarce, L. Moore, H. Vickerman, P.'B.Cooke, H. Jowett, A. O. Loach, A. Maylor, L. H. Woody G. J. Goldsman, E. Matthews, L. Hitching, C; Weston, E. Bartlcet, G. Hassall, J. Ralph, E. M. Jack, E. D. Good, W. Herbert, and Miss Kane.- ■■■ ■ : Sub-committee representatives: Mesdames Binet-Bi-own, W. McNab, E. M. Jack, C. S. Eastwood, Lady Armstrpng, Prescott, G. Morgan, E.D. Good, P. Wright, J. Ralph, E. S Nees, Truebridge, Button, O'Brien, Hoggard. Coastal towns: Mesdames Hassall and G. H. Noale. Advisory committee:-Sir Truby King, Di\ T. F. Corkill, Dr. T. G. Gray,' Messrs.' S. Kirkcaklie, W. F. Ward, P. C. Watt, K"".W. Httntj.P,. G. . Pattrick, C. H. .W.cston, Wi-jStashj'M.P: //, " 1 vHoni auditors, Messrs.- Hunt-,;Turner, and Heslop; ho.n. architect, Mr. Gray Young;* hon. solicitor, Mr. W. F. Ward. V ] -Hon.:.e<)mfnittee: 'Mesdam'ea;'Corrigan, ,Chatfteld, F. "Leckie,; J. G. Goatcs, W. Bethune; JV Joseph, j. Gear,' Miss Willis, Dr.' Ada1 Paterson, and Adjutant Glover. : "v! .' Votes of thanks were passed to the Wellington Rotiuy Club, the nurses, the chairman, the speakers, and the Press. On the motion of Mrs. T. 4. Gray, grateful acknowledgment was made to all'those, who throughout the year had come:.forward to assist;Jthe. committee in its. various, efforts,' special' mention b.eing! made of "those who are helping ; j;n. ..the... arrangements for 'the forthcoming ball. . -