PLUNKET SOCIETY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 2 September 1924, Page 9

PLUNKET SOCIETY.

A USEFUL ORGANISATION. ANNUAL CONFERENCE. (BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 2. The conference of delegates of theRoyal New Zealand Society for the Health cf Women and Children opened this morning, and was attended by 120 delegates. The Mayor (Mr It. A. Wright) welcomed the delegates, and the Governor-General and Lady Jellicoo were present at, the onening’ proceedings. "

In the course of a.n address, ViscountJellicce referred to the satisfactory reduction during recent years in infantile mortality. He said that in the Australian Commonwealth the average death fate of infants was 18 per 1000, in Great Britain and the United States 15 pen- 1000, and m New Zealand during two years it was 4.2 per thousand. Ho expressed the opinion that, the sooner ether countries adopted the methods in vogue in New Zealand the better it would be for all. Sir M. Pomare, Minister for Health, said that his aim as Minister was to foster and strengthen the ties between tha Plunket Society and the Department. In regard to maternal mortality, he felt confident that a vast change far the* better woula ue brought a boutin the near future, and that in that reform the Plunket Society, working in conjunction with the * Department, would play a. very important part. Addresses were also delivered by Dr. Valintinc. Director-General, Dr. TYuby King, and Dr. J. S. Elliott, presidentaf the Wellington branch of the British Medical Association.

Dr. Elliott said the work iof the Plunket Society had been largely educative and preventive, and that, combined with parental care, and natural feeding they had prevented a great deal of sickness and large expenditure. He spoke 'highly of the work of the society.