PLUNKET SOCIETY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLIV, Issue XLIV, 6 May 1924, Page 8

PLUNKET SOCIETY.

ANNUAL MEETING. 1 5 At the Borough Chambers last even- ' ing was held the annual general meet- ' ing of the society, His Worship* the *, Mayor (Mr. L. A. Bone) presiding. There was a fair attendance of mem- j bers, including the hon. president (Mrs. H. A. Foyster), and most of the vice-presidents. Apologies for absence were received from Mesdames Sellar. Tait, Jobson, Bright and Pease. The annual report as submitted read as follows: — We have much pleasure in recording another year of steady work and progress. Regular meetings of the committee have been held on the second Friday of each month at 3 p.m., throughout the year. The work in Hawer>a still makes good progress. During the year we still worked the three sub-branches, Patea, Manaia and Opunake. It was decided at the beginning of the year that the sub-branches should have their report and balance-sheet incorporated * with the Hawera report and balance-sheet, and they are herewith, included. In March Patea joined the Wanganui ■ branch. This was arranged according to the advice of Miss Pattrick, director .of Piunket nursing. So we now have an extra day for the Hawera branch. j The committee wish to thank Nurse Dix for the splendid woi'k she is doing in the district, .and to again record that much praise- is due to her constant and careful attention to her duties. In July, Nurse Dix had a, refresher course at Karitane Hospital, Dunedin. This has been, a great help to her and keeps the Piunket work quite up to date. | ' I>uring the year Miss Pattrick, director of Piunket nursing, spent a day in Hawera. She went through the records of the work with Nurse, and also visited several seiious case*. , Miss Pattrick was very pleased with the work, done by Nurse Dix, and the splendid progress being made in the district. j The thanks of the committee are due to the Winter Show Committee, who again gave us space for a rest room in the Winter Show. The Piunket nurse was in attendance during the afternoons. They also allotted us space for a hoop-la stand and bran tubs, the proceeds from which, with the street collections, amounted to the splendid total of £127 3s 2d for the Piunket Society. There are still cases of need amongst us, and "we again appeal to mothers for garments their little ones have outgrown. Nurse is thus able to relieve distress in many cases. We regularly receive a list of births from the Registrar, and the circulars sent out bring many mothers into touch with the Piunket nurse. Our advisory board thought it expedient to sell the old car and buy a new one. This was decided on, and it was left in the hards o* Mr. Jobson, a Ford Coupe being bought. The committee again wishes to thank Mr. Jobson for his very capable and practical supervision of the Piunket car. One has only to read the report on the Piunket car, 1923-24, to understand what that supervision has meant, both to the committee and nurse in saving expense and trouble. Again much thanks are due to nurse, who, though working long hours, early I and late, has through her care avoided j any additional expense in running the car.

On February 27 the annual fete was held in the Park, and was a great success. This was greatly, due to Miss Ena Hooker, who acted as secretary to the fete, and also' Mr. Jobson, who organised the men's committee. The splendid sum of £132 2s 5d was taken. The committee still feels that the membership of this worthy society should be much larger; although a good increase on last year is shown, there is still room for improvement. We would urge all to continue their support. All who wish may become members by paying a minimum subscription of os a year. We regret the death of Nurse Keohane, who was a faithful member of the committee for a great number of years. Also the resignation of several of the committee. The thanks of the committe are due to the Government for the subsidy for the Plunket nurse. AYe also wish to thank the hon auditor, Mr. Haggett, and the advisory board, Messrs. Bright, Brodie, Gillanders, Jobson, and F. C. Spratt, for their valuable help; also all those who so willingly helped, or gave donations to any of the functions held in aid of the society. Further, we offer our grateful thanks to the press for their unvarying consideration in publishing accounts of the society's work, and for the very material help given by their articles describing our work.

NURSE'S REPORT, 1923-24 (Havvera Branch). New cases for the year: Hawera, 420; Patea, 61; Manaia, 81; Opunake, 86; total, 6-56. Two hundred and twenty-three new- babies breast-fed Manaia and Patea visited weekly"; Qpunake every second week. Patea branch joined Wanganui Ist March Nurse's visits to homes: Hawera 4056; Patea, 190; Manaia, 207- 6rmnake, 88; total, 4331. Attendance at Plunket offices: Havvera, 6556; Patea, 772; Manaia, 1030- Opunake, 769; total, 9127. ThereinaLneu,of death< due t0 pneumonia. lOoslbs of Plunket Emulsion have been used.

I wish to thank my committee, treasurer and secretary for their help. Also Mr. Jobson, who has kept the oar running excellently; it has given absolutely no trouble on the long journeys or at any other time. Parcels of clothing have been received and distributed in the district, where they have been much appreciated. Patea, Manaia and Opunake branches reported a very successful year m each centre. Patea said it was the best financially they had ever had, several very successful efforts having been made, including a very fine concert by a. party brought down,by Mrs M. J. Goodson and a capital street collection. As they had decided after consultation to join with Wanganui,; they put on record the very fine work! done by Nurse I>ix, and asked for cordial SU pp Ort to Nurse Wil who had taken up the work from Wanga-

Manaia reported also that their fete and concert and street stall had yielded most satisfactory returns. They were disappointed at the lack of interest amongst mothers, and hoped to be ,abfe to overcome this want of enthusiasm for the work of the nurse Opunake stated also that the public had taken a keen .interest in the work and that mothers had expressed cordial appreciation of the help they had received. I The chairman, in supporting the motion ror adoption of report, said that! he would like to -bear witness to the ! wonderful work »of the society. He said that it was remarkable that the district nurse was able to do the work ! entailed by the great number of visits ' shown in the roport-4056 in 365 days ' in. addition to being at the rooms. It seemed to him to be a miracle that ISurse Dix could do so much, and therefore the thanks of the community were eminently due to her. It was.

a work for which no payment could be a fitting recompense, and he felt sure - it was first a work of love with her. Then the work of the committee, most- ! ly women, was a yeoman service and a work of love, for which the whole district should be grateful. Their work meant the looking after numbers of children just when care was needed. They gave their time and strength and money and thought! to secure success. The report, he added, was very good, and the institution one of which all should be proud, but he said the num- ' ber of subscribers should be doubled if an effort were made to secure more and this would help materially in the ' nuance The success was gratifying, and he hoped it would continue in the future a.nd that an appeal, if made, would be well supported. Mr. Dixon added his appreciation of the work done in the past, and his hopes that more even would be accomplished in the future. He said it was very gratifying to see that the new car had been paid out of the year's receipts, and he contrasted the comfort with which the nurse could now travel with the conditions of travel when she commenced the work here. He said the branch was extremely fortunate in having a secretary like Miss King, whose work was really excellent. JNurseDix, he said, was one who went out of her way often to give help to people in need, and thus showed that she had her heart and soul in the work | He was sure the number of subscribers could be doubled, or even trebled, because no work had a greater claim on the community than the Piunket Society. He was glad, he added, in conclusion to see the way the public rallied to their help at the aainual fete, but that there was still room for more neLp from many. I The balance-sheet showed that reincluded the following: Fete }O] W, inter Sh<w hoop-la, £132; street collection, £16; wireless ccneert,. s>ll 10s; Government grant, £135; sales of emulsion and milk, £152; Patea, £92; Opunake, £37; Manaia i Expenditure included nurse's Sa ryW on £ 237; ™nnin £ and upkeep of j car, £82; purchase of car, less allowance, £154; rent, £55; 'purchase of emulsion. £154; fete and other ex- **¥?%' £5l v The balance in the bank is £lb, .a.nd the surplus of assets £262 '* ii elc«tum of officers resulted as follow:—President, Mrs. M. J Goodson; hon. Mesdames Foyster Haggett, Jobson, Godfrey, Bone Graves Raw-son, Bright; hon secretary, Miss N. L. . King; hon. treasurer, Mrs. J. Tait; hon. auditor, Mr. C. Haggett : advisory board, Messrs. Bright, Brodie, Gillanders Jobson and F C. Spratt; hon solicitor ii r' •?■ ratt ' committee, Mesd«m«s ( A Thomson, C. Hawken, , fooker, Haggott. Winks, Collins t Burdekin Brodie, Da.vey Goring (S^arle A. Hunter, R, Campbell . M. llrch > Hunter, Gillanders, Trotter ' CorrTan rter> McC°rmack, Miss ' . Hearty votes of thanks for work during the year and for assistance ren- . dered in many ways were passed to the 1 T 6C£ - a/\ (MISS King) ' Nurse *>ix > Mrs. ' M,ccS W n\ tre»? urer), Mrs, Foyster, • Jri E Hooker (hon, secretary for the ( w.6), the advisory board, Mr. C. M ; ?rfJ% +1 ( °2l aH. ditor>> Mr. Jobson', I and to the Star for much valued as- , sist*mee m brining the work of the I sorwty before the people. A hearty T We of thanks to the chair, and to Mr L l>ixon concluded *, good and enthusiy astic meeting. y