WARTIME MOTHERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 21, 24 July 1940, Page 11

WARTIME MOTHERS

AN INSPIRING LETTER

DOCTRINE OF SERVICE

An inspiring message dealing with the aims of the Plunket Society and contained in a letter received by Mrs. P. Fraser from a country member of the society was read by her at the. annual meeting of the Wellington branch yesterday afternoon. Mrs. Fraser said the writer of the letter had a very large family. Three sons served in the last war. and one was killed. Two had gone to this war and another was expecting to go away. Mrs. Fraser said she felt that the letter expressed one of the principal aims, of the society, and that if she did no more than read the letter her attendance at the meeting would have been justified. The extract read was as follows:— "I feel the greatest sympathy for young wives who have to bring their babies into the world when the husband and father is away on active service facing unknown and terrible hazards. It has to be faced, and those of us who are going through separation and loss for a second time need to give all we can of love and encouragement to these younger women whose feet are travelling a sadly hard road. In this respect I feel that our Plunket nurses can do a great service. They are welcome visitors in every home, particularly in the remote country places, and the cheer and encouragement they give are as important as j their skilled services amongst the I babies and older children. At all costs |we must strive to maintain the Plunket 'nursing service at full capacity, and I am urging all mothers skilled in Plunket methods to back up the nurses' efforts by some voluntary t/ork amongst needy neighbours; Sir Truby always urged the passing on of his teaching by those capable of doing so intelligently, and now is a time to put his admonitions into practice."