Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1928. “PLUNKET” CRISIS

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 September 1928, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1928. “PLUNKET” CRISIS

JQjOES the West Coast in general, and Greymouth in particular, really value the work of the district branch of the Plunket Society, or are the frequent tributes paid by all sections of the community, merely cheap lip-service? This question is prompted by the disappointing response so far made to the appeal for the necessary amount to place the.finances of the Branch on a satisfactory footing.

Many functions have been organised during the past month, but the financial returns have not, in

every case, been very encouraging to those who gave time and services to prepare for the respective gatherings. The limit of patience was reached, last evening, when the Town Hall bazaar and carnival failed to attract the crowd hoped for. It was very disheartening to

the promoters to find that their efforts to assist the Society, were so poorly seconded by the community they were striving to serve. The blunt fact now to be faced is that unless the public take a more active interest in the task of finding the money necessary to meet the unavoidable expenses, the district will lose its Plunket Nurse. There is no need to stress the magnificent results from Plunket efforts. Many women and babies, in town and country, have great cause

for gratitude to the Society, bu

gratitude alone cannot pay bills The Plunket services are given free.

and are available to all who care to utilise these. Somebody, however, must provide the money

necessary to cover the expenses, and this “everybody’s business” should not be left to the faithful few. It is stated that, generally, the poorer classes have responded as well as their circumstances permitted, but many of those with a greater share of this world’s goods, have not helped this community service. There are many appeals in these days on the purses of the charitable, and the times are not of the most prosperous, but, allowing for all this, can it be denied

that the West, Coast has cause to be somewhat ashamed of the response

Io Plunket appeals for aid? Women iml children have not been placed first.

Almost from the beginning, the ocal executive has been faced with he problem of finance, and but for he generosity of one or two, the loops would have been closed long

■re this. Greatly overworked and loorly paid, the I’lunket Nurse for his d isi rut lias lo I r:i vel from

lieeflon lo Waiho, and many instances could be related of valuable services rendered to mothers and children. II is essential that another

nurse be engaged to help in so wide an area, and ii was hoped I hat the present ‘'carnival appeal” would have resulted in enough money being secured to pay for her services. Unless a great effort is made before the month closes, that hope cannot be realised. What does dreymouth propose to dp about it .’

The weather has taken a turn for the better, and perhaps, patronage of the Town Halt to-day and tomorrow will similarly improve. An appeal is again made to all to help. Nor when the “carnival” is over.

should the Pliinket Society be forgotten. The work is continuous and so must be the support. Any constructive suggestion to increase

public assistance will be welcomed by the executive. It is not to the district credit that the Plunket Society should be so “near the rocks,” and if the latest S.O.S. is not adequately answered, complete “wreckage” may be the result.