"NONE MORE WORTHY"

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 112, 15 May 1939, Page 5

"NONE MORE WORTHY"

THE FOUNDER'S IDEALISM

A statement by the Hon. Walter Nash, Minister of Finance, reads as follows: —

"There could be no appeal more worthy of the support of the citizens of this Dominion than that now being launched in connection with a national memorial to the late Sir Truby King. New Zealanders may justly feel proud of their country's record of social progress and humanitarian endeavour. They have good reason, therefore, to welcome the opportunity of expressing, in some fitting manner, the magnificent personal contribution made by Sir Truby King during his lifetime towards this progress.

"Since its foundation by Sir Truby and Lady King 32 years ago, the Plunket Society in New Zealand has achieved wonderful results. The proud position which New Zealand has for long enjoyed as the country in the world's lowest rate of infant mortality, is due in no small measure to that devotion to an ideal for which the name, Sir Truby King, will always

be remembered. It is hard to realise that those principles of mothercraft today so well established were, not very long ago, so little understood. For his work in establishing and, above all, in teaching those principles, Sir Truby has earned the gratitude of countless thousands of New Zealand mothers.

"Sir Truby brought not only idealism to his work and a sympathy tor and understanding of the problems of motherhood; he possessed also an immense enthusiasm and an organising genius which helped so much to build the Plunket Society into the fine organisation it is today. It may truly be said that, as a result of his efforts, he helped to build a nation.

"In the Plunket Society itself and the work it is doing so successfully, Sir Truby has left behind him a monument of which any man might ba justly proud. It is fitting that the National Memorial Appeal that . has now been launched should have as one of its main objects the strengthening and extension of the work of the society. I hope that all citizens will respond generously in recognition of the very great debt which this country in particular and humanity generally owe to the late Sir Truby King."