HUTT VALLEY NEWS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 5, 6 July 1939, Page 18

HUTT VALLEY NEWS

PLUNKET YEAR

"SOMEONE ALWAYS PAID"

(From "The Post's" Representative.)

"The true position and work of the Plunket Society is reflected not only in the annual report and balance-sheet, but in the ever-increasing number of visits paid by the nurse and by the gratifying results of these visits," said Mr. J. W. Andrews, chairman of the Lower Hutt branch of the Plunket Society, in opening the seventeenth annual meeting at the Plunket Rooms on Tuesday night. This object, however, he continued, was not achieved without a tremendous amount of work and effort on the part of the committee to raise the necessary funds, and in this connection he drew attention to the fact that out of a total population of 35,000 in the Hutt Borough there were only. 250 members of the Plunket Society paying a subscription of fivs shillings annually. In his opinion the work of the society was among the most important carried out in the country and being voluntary should make a. greater appeal. With the establishment of the proposed new sub-branch which was necessary to meet the needs of the rapidly-growing district he hoped that the membership and backing behind the society would be greatly extended. Meanwhile he was glad to have the opportunity of congratulating the branch on the excellent report and balance-sheet and of thanking the president, officers, and committee for their fine work.

Messrs. F. M. Renner and E. P. Bunny, members of the Advisory Board, also spoke, endorsing the chairman's remarks, and the president, Mrs. J. W. Andrews, after placing before the meeting the necessity for appointing a third nurse, said that these extensions made it imperative to stimulate interest and to educate people, particularly the mothers, to the fact that no service was ever carried out free of cost—that someone always paid somewhere.

Miss Samson, of the Wellington staff organisation, gave an able address on "Milestones in Plunket Development," taking the first stage of the journey up to the passing of the founder, Sir Truby King. At the end of the first mile New Zealand had the proud record of the lowest infant mortality in the world, 80 per cent, of all babies born in this country having been reared under Plunket methods.

"With the second mile," Miss Samson said, "comes the stage when people stop and take stock and plan for the future." Resting on the solid foundation of the -first thirty-two years the society could go forward imbued with j the two great essentials of faithfulness and perseverance. The, love of little children followed by knowledge and work was the foundation of the Plunket system and together with the faithful backing of the mothers would lead to its continued success. - St. Stephen's Association. " A steady increase in membership and a large and enthusiastic gathering of members was a feature of the annual meeting of St. Stephen's Women's Association which was held recently in Lower Hutt. The election of officers resulted in Miss ■ Ethel Steele; being returned as president, Mesdames J. 8.. McCaUum, W. Auld, and Henry as • vicepresidents, while Mrs. A. Marshall was 1 re-elected secretary and Mrs. L. W. j Ferguson treasurer.

After the business of the meeting had been completed a home-made afternoon tea was served by the hostesses for the afternoon, Mesdames W. Coleman (convener), J. Peterson, MacMurtrie, W. Benzies, J. McCallum, and A. Marshall, and a bracket of songs were rendered by Mrs. J. Gray. The

hall was decorated for the occasion with an "all-seasons" display of rose*, scarlet viburnum berries, and early narcissi.