OUR BABIES.

Marlborough Express, Volume L, Issue 97, 26 April 1916, Page 3

OUR BABIES.

By Hygeia.

Published under the auspices of the Society for the Health of Women and Children. "It is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom."

LADY FRENCH'S' APPEAL

■Early in the war an appeal was received by the Society from the Old Country asking help for the wives of soldiers and sailors, and, on the suggestion of Mrs Lewis, honorary secretary of our Hastings branch, it was decided to make the Society's contribution take the form of bundles of "baby clothing." . Tho matter was entered into with wonderful spirit and zeal throughout the' Do minion, with the result that thousands of baby clothes, made by willing workers have been despatched in the course of the last 15 months, and enclosed with each bundle was a copy of the palnphlet "Baby's First Month." , U, i- The whole work has been a labor* or love, and no thanks were needed from ■ the'recipients on the other side of the world; but it is very gratifying, all the same, to-read the warm-hearted letters of appreciation which have 1 cached the Society from every direction. I shall quote a few of these ! letters as having an interest beyond

1 the branches to which they were sent, ai.'d as an encouragement to keep up a steady supply as long as the need continues: — THE'; WOMEN'S IMPERIAL

HEALTH ASSOCIATION

My committee has asked me to thank you for the charming, baby clothes which you have so kindly presented to us. Wo are most grateful, and hope to display them amongst our

other exhibits as a contribution from the women of Now Zealand.

THE LEAG UK OF EMPIRE.

Wo have received the "maternity bags" for the babies of the Allies. . . Convey to your committee our grateful thanks for their help.

THE WAR. VICTIM' RELIEF COMMITTEE. SOCIETY OF FRIENDS.

Miss Nr-weomb lias sent to us some garments that have been received from you for our relief work on the Continent. . . . Thank the contributors on our behalf.

HVe are so glad to have things, forthese poor peeplo. . . .'The refugeas ; who fled last year have now come to , an end of the stock of things that they j edit Id carry with them, and the clothes . they had on are worn out. So the i noad continues, and will be greater ; still.' We arc sending some (of the bundles) < to Serbia and our workers are start- ! ins; for ihere very soon. .. . With \ many thanks and greetings from the ] workers on this side. 5

THE BRITISH DOMINIONS'

WOMAN SUFFRAGE UNION

Your magnificent gift of baby clothes has at last come safely into my hands. The case has been under my eye for nearly two months, but the 1 High Commissioner would not allow it to be opened till, very rightly, he was, certain it was intended for ! the work I have on hand.:

I 1 I have now opened it, and words fail me for thanks. I have never dreamed of so beautiful a gift.

As you know, if yo-i'have had time to look into the Report of War Relief Work.l have sent you, I have been fc some tim.e receiving front elsewhere most beautiful babies' thingsgifts which are proving of the greatest help to us in London. But, beautiful as these are, other countries have not yet reached the height of New Zealand =n baby welfare; and I saw the moment I opened your case that we had something of educative value beyond anything yet received. I at once, therefore, tooks out only three specimens and sent them to outgreatest woman doctor for the childien of London. The enclosed is her reply. She is to meet mo in a few dayt, and it will be in co-operation with her that the rest of your glorious gift will be distributed. I will write to you again shortly. Will you meanwhile convey to your committee our warmest thanks for the invaluable help they arc giving to the movement for saving the babies of London at the very moment Avhen the nation is in direst need.

A MEDICAL APPRECIATION

Enclosed with the above letter Avas a note from the eminent lady doctor referred to: —

•'I havo only just had time to burrow into your delightful surprise packets. What a joy they are to touch, and how much child love is sewn into these exquisite little garments.

>l]t is the dream of my life to reform the clothing of our children, and yoiir beavitii-jl patterns are full of suggestion. "When you are next sending a message to New Zealand do give our most grateful raid delighted thanks. Tha little New Zealand book, 'Baby's First Month,' is fine. Is it possible to get a large number of this.pamphlet? I should like the mothers attending my clinic to have a copy."

THE NATIONAL UNION OF WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE SOCIETIES

The following are extracts, from a letter received by the honorary secretary of the Otago, Women's Patriotic Association, which has been working whole-heartedly 111 conjunction with the Society for the Health of Women asd Children in this connection :—

1 1 am one of the persons entrusted with the distribution of some of the articles of clothing sent hy the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children, in conjunction with the Otago Women's Patriotic

Association, for the babies of British and Belgian soldiers. As I have first-hand "knowledge of the way in which these gifts have been appreciated, I feel that I must write and give you a little account of our work. I am a member of the local representative committee appointed by the Town Council, a member of the sub.(ommittee responsible for the care of the families and dependents of the soldiers who have gone from this borough, and also a member of another sub-committee appointed to deal with the care of maternity, and therefore I am acquainted with all the cases that are in need of assistance.

You will see from the report which I enclose that the Women's Employment Fund enabled us to provide outfits for 30 babies of soldiers serving v..ith his Majesty's forces. With the approach of winter, the demand for babies' outfits has Tieen continuous, for the increased cost of { Hying makes it practically impossible *for the expectant mothers to r>ave enough i:iom their separation allowances to provide what is necessary. The bundles provided by my Society .had just come to an end, so you can j imagine how greatly wo welcomed the ; ber.utiful little bundles so generously j forwarded by your Society. } I I am called upon to supply at least j ; two, and sometimes three, outfits lor j ; expectant mothers (soldiers' wives) j every month, and I only wash your ? members could see the pleasure it ! gives to those mothers and could know • how grateful they are; they; would I feel amply repaid for all their i thoughtful care of our little ones and } for all their kindness and generosity. \

Our Society has been doing its best to promote a"scheme for the establishment of a Municipal Infant Welfare Centre for this district, and an excellent scheme lias iust been passed by the Town Council, but as yet there is nothing of the kind. You will have received direct from our headquarters a report of the way in v.hich +he clothing sent us has been distributed in other centres, so I wjll not lefer to.what has been done clsoi where. I can assure you that the sane gratitude has been felt wherever our women and children have enjoyed the benefits so thoughtfully provided by their kinswomen overseas. You mi\y be interested to know that ' I uad the pleasure of visiting your beautiful country about 16 years ago, and a cousin of mine—Dr. Barnett, of j punedin —is now giving his services ■in the hospitals at Cairo, which, as T I expect you know, is one of the hosj pital bases for the New Zealand Forces. The little booklet. "Baby's First Month." by Dr. Truby King, is particularly useful, and the women seem to read it with great interest. The excellent advice nntl information con-

tamed therein will, I a.m sure, nrove very valuable and beneficial. I should be. very grateful if you would send me 100 copies of this little book, and I will gladly forward the cost. 1 shall easily be able to make use of that number in tin's district alone.