PLUNKET SOCIETY

Grey River Argus, 12 May 1944, Page 6

PLUNKET SOCIETY

GREYMOUTH MEETING. At the monthly meeting of the Greymouth Branch of the Plunket Society, the following were present: Mesdames F. M. Dennehy (President), H. Harvey, J. Smith, J.-Griffin, A. J. Fairmaid, F. A. Kitchingham, E. Parfitt, J. M. Bunt. K. McCarthy and Miss Anderson. Appreciation of the committees assistance at the Health Department’s Mobile Exhibition in Greymouth was expressed in letters from Dr. Simpson and Miss Thomson. The Kumara representative on the Committee, Mrs. Fahey, was granted three months’ leave of absence. The Committee adopted a. suggestion of Miss Thomson, assistant-nurs-ing adviser, that the rooms be closed tn all except urgent cases on Saturdays to allow charts and records tn be attended to. Sympathy was expressed m the illness of a life member, Mrs. F. H. Denton. As the rules of the Society do not allow representation on public bodies, the committee could not accept, an invitation of the Mayor, Mr. F. A. Kitchingham, to be present at a meeting to form a Progress League in Greymouth. r , ■ The nurses’ report for April as follows was received: Headquarters: Visits to homes, old 83, new 13; to Rooms: Babied 127, pre-school 13, adults 141. Number of babies under supervision 221; pre-school children 210; number of new cases 9. Outstations. Visits to homes, old 107. new 31; to Rooms: Babies 119, preschool 14, adults 127. Number of i babies under supervision 314; preschool 44. Number of new cases 21. Car mileage 241.

The Mayor (Mr. E. Kennedy) presided at the sixteenth annual meeting of the Runanga sub-branch of the Plunket Society.

The following officers were elected: President, Mrs. Timlin; Secretary, Mrs. Howard; Treasurer, Mrs. Flood (all re-elected); Vice-Presidents, Mesdames Barker and Theyers; Committee, Mesdames Cairney, Hall, Patterson, Grogan. F'arquhar, Campbell, Pattinson, Thompson, R. Griffiths, Spiers, G. Dalzell and A. Airns. The annual report stated: — “The branch, once again, is fortunate in being able to report a successful year, both financially and' in membership, there being a larger number of members for the year than any other previous year. Nurse Pearse has been of invaluable assistance to the Society, and the mothers and babes generally. The branch was most unfortunate, at the beginning of the year, in losing the services of its honorary secretary, Mrs. Outhwaite,

who had tendered her resignation on account of leaving the district. Mrs. Outhwaite, who has been the secretary for several years, at all times gave her services most willingly, and the branch will always be indebted to her. The best wishes of the committee are extended to Mrs. Outhwaite and family. We regret also having to accept the resignation of another values member, Mrs. N. Griffiths. Mrs. Griffiths was always a willing and energetic worker for the branch. The committee, with regret and sorrow, expressed sympathy recently with Mr. King and family, on the sad loss of Mrs. King, Mrs. King being one of the foundation members .of the branch. “During May a concert was held m the Miners’ Hall, under the directorship of Mr. Ford and his orchestra. This was an unqualified success, ana financially a great help to the Society. Later in the year, the annual house-to-house collection took place, and the result also proved gratifying. The committee wish to thank all who assisted at both functions. During Community Week our Plunket Aids assisted at the Qhildrem’s (Flay Centre. We have received during the year from the House Committee of the Lady King Karitane Hospital its quarterly reports. These reports have been fully appreciated by our members, who have found them most interesting. Two babies from the Runanga branch have been sent to the Karitane Hospital for treatment. Our thanks are due to our auditor, Mrs Tallentire, and to the press, who are always most obliging, and finally to all who have assisted the subbranch throughout the year. We all trust the new year on which the Society is entering may be a most successful one.”

The annual report stated: — Income: Cash in bank, £5l 17s; cash in hand, £2 13s Id; annual subscriptions. £l3 15s; donation E. Kennedy, £1; donation, Miners’ Union, £1 10s;’ proceeds concert (Mr. Ford), £l3 6s 6d; public collections, £l9 Ils 9d; interest P. 0.5.8., £1 10s lid; total, £lO5 4s 3d. Expenditure: Stationery, £1; Grey Star Office, £1 Is; Mr. Ford (concert party), 12s 4d; co-operative ■•tore, £1 4s 8d; Miners’ Union, £1 10s; Grey Power Board, 13s 3d; yearly quota, Grey Plunket Society, £35; car allowance, Grey Plunket Society, £6 15s; insurance. 17s 6d; cash in bank, £5O 2s 11; cash in hand, £6 7s 7d; total £lO5 4s 3d.

Both report and balance sheet were adopted as satisfactory. The nurse’s report was as follows: Number of new baby cases 40; number of babies breast-fed when first seen, 33; number artificially fed when first seen, 4; visits to homes, 481; visits of babes to rooms, 545; visits of pre-school children, 49; visits of adults, 573; number of babes under supervision, 42; number of visits of nurse to district 50; car mileage, 696.