HUTT VALLEY NEWS

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 151, 29 June 1938, Page 18

HUTT VALLEY NEWS

LOWER HUTT PLUNKET SOCIETY I (From "The Post's" Representative.) Mr. J. W. Andrews presided at the annual meeting o£ the Lower Hutt branch of the Plunket Society, held in the Tlunket rooms last night. On the platform were Mrs. J. W. Andrews (president) and Mrs. E. Cameron (secretary), and the oxcellent attendance included representatives from the Waiwhetu and Taita sub-branches and visiting members from the Eastbourne | branch.

Mr. D. A. Ewen, chairman of the at visory committee, in presentinr the ai nual report and balance-sheet, con gratulated the ladies on their achievc ments of the past year, the balance sheet showing a very satisfactory credi and the essential work of the societ; being reflected in the 1819 visits paii to homes and the 17,325 visits paid ti the rooms by adults, babies, and chil dren. No change took place in thi personnel of the officers and commit tees for the ensuing year, but Mes dames S. Millington and J. Fletche; were added to the general committee Professor W. H. Gould, referring t( recent criticism of the Plunket system said that nothing could take from tin great work 'of Sir Truby King. Thi society should welcome the examina tion as a healthy sign, not to weaker but to strengthen it. In addition t< the advance made by the society ii dietetics and the foundation of physi cal health laid in infancy, it was o immeasurable mental advantage to th< child in establishing a feeling of secur ity in the child resulting from thi training in regularity of feeding, sleep ing, and all its habits. It was import ant to stress this atmosphere of secur ity because insecurity caused sub-con scious fear. In the present system o things there was a gap between thi Plunket child of two years and thi school child of five when it had not th< benefit of expert medical attendance and educational guidance. Kindergar tens did splendid work, but there weri only thirty-one free kindergartens it New Zealand. Of a group o£ 458 kin dergarten children recently examinee by medical officers, 75.11 per cent, hac physical defects, and physical defect: that could be remedied. The commit tee in charge of this investigation re commended (1) that pre-school chil dren should be periodically examinee by nurses and medical officers; (2) tha advice and assistance should be giver parents by district and Plunket nurses (3) that where necessary nurserj schools should be provided in connec tion with kindergartens; (4) that th< kindergarten system should be ex tended. Instead of depriving parent! of a sense of responsibility m mi experience he had found that the nur> sery schools increased it. There wa. no lack ol appreciation on the gooc work done, but he urged its extensior in the continuous care and cultivatioi of the child from birth right through Tributes to the committees, the pre sidjnt and executive officers, and t< the chairman of the meeting wen heartily endorsed by the gathering. A delicious supper of coffee and homemade savouries was served.