MEALS AT ALL HOURS HASTINGS DISTRICT PLUNKET NURSE SOCIETY.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 143, 3 June 1912, Page 3

MEALS AT ALL HOURS

HASTINGS DISTRICT PLUNKET NURSE SOCIETY.

THIRD ANNUAL .MEETING

Th? third annual meeting of the Hastings District Nurse Plunket Society took plaea in St. Matthews’ Schoolroom, on Friday. In spite of the threatening weather, there was a fair attendance of interested members and Mr. J. AV. Bates was Lethe chair. After the preliminary business had been dealt with, the following report was read by the hon. secretary : — ‘ Your committee is assured that in placing before you its third annual report, your confidence in the society’s usefulness will be fully established. The increase in- the nurse’s work is very gratifying, but the same cannot be said of the .yearly subscriptions which, so far from showing an increase, have decreased considerably. The reason for this is plainly shown in separating the district from the Plunket work, for we find 70 as # against 77 Plunket cases last year, while there have been 74 district cases where last year there were only 19. Out of the 70 Plunket cases 30 are members; for the 74 district cases £5/17/6 has been collected. The nurse has paid 1747 visits in the last 12 months : last year 1242 was the number. On February 12th the committee dealt with this question, observing the discrepancy' between the work done and the payment therefor, and a resolution was passed to the effect that the charges for attendance at district cases, where the nurse is always called in by' a doctor, should be the same as would be paid to an ordinary certificated nurse except in cases of necessity. The most gratifying item- in this report will assuredly be the opinion of Nurse O’Callaghan in regard to the Plunket work. She says that during the time she has been in office she has been struck with the remarkable manner in which the Plunket theories have spread. At this time, after three years’ struggle in the face of a good deal of opposition, the society may congratulate itself upon the fact that its existence is mo’-e than justified. The education of mothers in the care of their babies, which is ■ and ..always has been the society’s main object, is bearing fruit for which the growing generation will be thankful. Most of the baby troubles which the nurse is asked to advise upon, are being properly treated by the mothers, and the bad cases which used to be quite frequent are now, by being taken in time, few and far between. Members will agree with the committee that, with apologies to Tennyson, “ Were there nothing else For which to praise the society, save only this, Thon only this were cause enough for praise.” Disappointing as the regular subscriptions have beer, however, there was no doubt of the popularity 7 oi the society' at the time of the Frimley Garden Fete, which was organised by Miss Williams in aid of the funds. Everyone gave freely and generously, the £177 realised proving that there are many interested whose names are not on the list of members. The Elton Comedy Company very kindly sent a donation of 10/6. Mrs. J. H. Williams, the president, applied for leave of absence in June, and Mrs. A. H. Russell was elected acting-president during her absence. Nurse O’Callaghan had her yearly holiday in March, her place being taken by Nurse Ray, who fulfilled her duties in a most satisfactory manner.

The committee would like to take this opportunity of thanking Nurse O’Callaghan for her splendid services during her term of office ; they hope it will be a very long time before she tires of the constant work, for they hear on all sides a chorus of confidence in her and appreciation of her unselfish devotion to her duty’.

As a slight token of their thanks for his many kind services and the time he has so ungrudgingly given to their accounts, the committee presented Mr. F. A. Fraser with a coffee-pot in March last. Mr. J. W. Bates has always proved an energetic member of the committee, taking an unfailing interest in the society’s work, and their thanks are still due to him for the continued use of his office.—M. Lewis, Hon. Secretary.” The report was adopted and the balance-sheet passed.

The following is the statement of accounts for the year ending 31st May, 1912:— Receipts.

The officers and committee for the coming year were elected as follows President. Miss Williams; vice-presidents, Mesdames Holdsworth. Shrimpton, T. H. Lowry, A. H. Russell and J. H. Williams : committee. Mesdaines Boyle, W. Nelson, J. A. Miller, J. Garnett, T. Crosse, W. Keith. McDuff Boyd, Messrs. Shrimpton. J, W, Bates. J. A. Fraser and the Very Rev, Father Keogh ; hon. treasurer, Mrs, T. S. McLeod; hon. secretary, Mrs, T. W. Lewis.

Mr, Pates proposed a vote of thanks to the retiring committee, to whom was due the satisfactory condition of the society. This was carried unanimously and the meeting terminated.

£ s d Bank bal. 31st May, 1911 128 18 6 Subs, and donations.... 53 10 6 District cases 5 17 6 Sale of books 17 0 Frimley fete 177 11 8 £366 15 2 Disbursements. • £ s d X iirse O’Callaghan 156 8 0 Printing and advt 4 4 c Bicvcle upkeep 3 6 9 Telephone 5 0 0 Stamps and petties .... 5 0 0 Bank charge and cheque book 13 c Bank balance 315 12.... lf-2 2 8 £363 15 2