PLUNKET SOCIETY.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 23 May 1928, Page 6

PLUNKET SOCIETY.

ANNUAL MEETING OF LEVIN CENTRE. Tbe annual meeting of the Levin centre of the Pluuket Society was held in the Century Hall yesterday afternoon; the president (Mrs T. Hobson) was in the chair, and there was a fair attendance. Apologies for absence were received from Mesdames P. W. Goldsmith and C. S. Keedwell. The President, who read the'annual report and balance sheet, stated that a Levin centre had now been established in lieu of a branch. The local branch was set up four years ago, and the report presented was the first relating to Levin as a centre of the society, The effect of this development was that Shannon had been brought in as a sub-branch under Levin.

ANNUAL REPORT. ‘ The annual report of the Levin branch was as under: — Your Committee have much pleasure in submitting their first annual report and balance-sheet for year ended March 31st, 1928. Monthly meetings have boon held during the year and have boon well attended. Under Nurse Norris the work continues to progress and the committee wish to express appreciation of the excellent work done by her. During tho ■ year funds have been raised by annual subscriptions and donations, two shop days and a bridge party. Although the number of annual subscribers has increased considerably, there is still room for improvement, and we hope next year to record a further increase in membership. Thanks are again due both to the Borough and County Councils for grants of £lO each, £25-was also received from the T. G. Maearthy Trust. In June, the committee entertained Mrs Shennan, at a farewell tea, prior to her departure from Levin. In recognition of her work as secretary since tho work began here, she was made an honorary life member of the Society. We have since lost four more of our committee members —Mesdames McArthur, Magee, McQueen and Gibson —all of whom have taken a keen interest in the work. The Planket Society, Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union and Women’s Institute have ‘combined forces to raise money for the erection of Plunkct and Rest rooms and their efforts are meeting with great success. The Borough Council has set aside a suitable section of land, for which we are deeply indebted to them. The committee wish to thank the Do Luxe Picture Company for uso of lounge for monthly meetings, Mr Hamilton for auditing; accounts, Mr Capper for free transport of emulsion, etc., and the Press for their willing assistance at all times.

The balance sheet showed that at March. 31st, 1927, there was £4 5s 4d cash in hand and £sl 18s in the P.O. Savings Bank, which' was increased by deposits of £45 to £96 18s. Withdrawals of £49 wore made, reducing the bank balance to £47 18s, which was increased to £49 2s Id by interest accrued to December 31st 1927. The principal items of receipts were:—Subscriptions £64 3s, donations Levin Borough Council £lO, Ilorowhenua County Council £10 —£20, Government subsidy £135 6s 4d, grant by McCarthy Trust'£2s, quota nurse’s salary paid by Shannon sub-branch £39 7s, sales of emulsion and literature'£3l 19s 7d, proceeds Shop Day, etc., £55 17s 4d. The total receipts, including the credit balance and the withdrawals of £l9 from the P. 0.5.8., were £4BB 13s 9d.

The expenditure was £333 7s, the main items being: Nurse’s salary (including relieving nurse) £228 13s 4d, car allowance and travelling expenses £l6 ss, rent £26, emulsion purchases £32 7s 6d.

The Savings Ba'nk account showed a balance of £49 2s Id. The assets amounted to £l5O Cs 9d, made up of utensils and equipment £4O, Savings Bank account £49 2s Id, cash in Bank of New Zealand £6l 4s Bd. The liabilities are represented by the credit of the assets to the capital fund. The President mentioned that the subscriptions had more than doubled during the past year.

SHANNON SUB-BRANCH. The balance-sheet of the Shannon sub-branch showed that the receipts, including a credit of £3O Os lid and »*rt of fixed deposit refunded £32 16b 3d, were £72 4b Bd. The expenditure amounted to £O6 i»s Bd, leaving a credit of £6 15s, which, added to the sum of £122 8s on fixed deposit, brought the funds to £129 3s. The assets amounted to £2O. The third annual report of the Shannon sub-branch was as 1 follows: Buring the year the work of the Society has increased considerably, much to the satisfaction of the Committee. Nurse Norris has been visiting Shannon once a week for twelve months from Levin and much credit is due to her for the interest she has taken in this Branch. The following are the figures for the year ending March, 1928: —Nurse’s visits to Shannon 50; Nurse’s visits to homes 123; total, 173. Adults’ visits to rooms 416, children’s visits to rooms 406; total, 1928 total, 1927 762; increase 60. The financial position of the Society is very satisfactory and a fixed deposit is in the Bank of N.Z. for six months. Regret was expressed at the departure from the district of Mr and Mrs Hub ton and Mrs T. A. Johnston, both ladies having been President and VicePresident, respectively, while Mr Hub ton was a member of the Advisory Board. All three had been keen work* ers since the inception of the Society. The Committee wish to thunk the fob lowing:—Mr J. A. Roach, providing' Nurse’s meals; Mrs Hill, providing morning and afternoon tea; Messrs Hotchen and Watts, reduction in Nurse’s travelling expenses; Mr Cronquest, auditing books; the Press for notices and reports, and all others who have helped in any way to further the work of the Society. NURSE’S REPORT ON LEVIN AND SHANNON. The Plunket Nurse (Miss S. Norris) presented the following reporj; for the year:— Total for Levin —New cases during

The health of the babies has been good throughout the year, except for slight colds and a mild epidemic of measles. I wish to thank the members of the committee for their help in the carrying out of 1113' work in the district. A SATISFACTORY POSITION. Mrs Hobson, in commenting on the reports, said that the organisation had had more expense since becoming a centre, but it now collected the Government subsidy, which it did not get before. Provision had now been made for the older children, up to school age, to be brought to the Plunket Nurse, and this had been found to be a benefit to the children. The Mayor moved the adoption of the renort and balance sheet, and said that the Society 'was in a very sound financial position, and those who had worked so well for it deserved credit. The Society was particularly of advantage to country people, to whom medical aid was not so accessible as to the town dwellers. The Shannon branch had a good balance and was carrying on very satisfactorily. The number of visits to the nurse in the combined, district was remarkable, averaging over 15 a day over the whole year. It was satisfactory from the committee’s point of View to know that the people in the district were taking advantage of the institution. It was also gratifying to observe that the society had been well supported both with donations and assistance.

The motion for the adoption of the report w r as • seconded by Mrs W. S. Park.

Mr Falloon asked if the society should not get a subsidy on all donations, but the President pointed out that the subsidy was on the Nurse’s salary.

ELECTION OP OFFICERS. Officers for the ensuing year were elected as follows:—President, Mrs Hobson (re-eleetcd); vice-presidents, Mesdames Goldsmith, Keedwell, Park and Percy (re-elected); hon. secretary and treasurer, Mrs W. Smaill (reelected) ; hon. auditor, Mr G. D. Hamilton (re-elected); committee, Mesdames H, Denton, C. Bartholomew, W. M. Clark, W. Davie, J. Logan, J. Shepherd, F, Pirani, E. M. Ryder, Capt. Prowse, C. Frechtling, T. Bevan, J. D. O’Connor, D. J. Thomson, S. J. Thompson, W. Falloon, Miss Hitchcock and Miss Mc-Kegg, with power to add to their number, advisory board, Dr. Hunter, Dr Thompson,.Messrs T. Hobson, C. S. Keedwell, P‘ 11. Harper, W. S. Park, W. Donnelly*..;J. Casey, J. Logan, and A. L. linkpeh. It was decided that the meeting be hold on the first Monday in each month, but that the' next meeting be on June 11th. <■ . The meeting closed with vqt.es of thanks 'to the Century, Hall .'trustees and- to the chair.,.