PLUNKET SOCIETY’S GREAT PROGRESS

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2312, 3 December 1925, Page 7

PLUNKET SOCIETY’S GREAT PROGRESS

Nurses’ Salaries to be Increased INTEREST OF LEADERS A SPLENDID SIGN [Per Press Association.] DUNEDIN, Last Night. The annual conference of the Plunket Society was opened this morning, delegates being present from all over New Zealand. The Mayor (Mr. H. L. Tapley, M.P.) and Mr. C. E. Statham, M.P., welcomed the visitors. Sir, Truby King was present and addressed tho gathering. Mrs. J. A. Johnstone (Dunedin) was elected president of the conference. . Mr. Statham said from from the small beginning in 1907 when Dr. and Mrs. Truby King laid the foundations of the Society, it had grown to something not only of Dominions, but of international Importance (applause). Instead of only one Pluliket Nurse they hud now nearly 100 in tho Dominion and some sixty residential branches and tho work of tho Society had been of groat benefit, not only {o the people of New Zealand, but in manv other parts of the world. He noticed that the expenditure of tho Society was now something over £54,000 a' year .towards which the Government contributed about onethird and he felt sure that whatever government happened to be In power, whatever amount it liked to place on Hie estimates in aid of the Society, it would have the easiest passage through tho blouse that anything could possibly have. Sir Truby King said it was a matter of very great gratification that so many had attended this biennial interim conference of the Society. The only purpose of this interim assembly was to ensure annually the continuity of the work and to give support and confidence to tho Central Council between the years that the great conference was held in Wellington. After thanking Messrs. Statham, Taplev. T. K. Sidey and Mrs. Sidey, Mr. W. D Stewart and Miss Stewart, tiic speaker said they had always had the support of Parliament from, the Prime Minister down. Parliamentarians and members of the Ministry had all ‘given their help and had done so because it, fell in entire accordance with their deepest convictions and deepest feelings. Mr. Tapley had spoken of tho work done by Lady King and himself. His wife had had as much to do with it as the speaker had and on her behalf and Ins own, he returned thanks for the remarks which had been made. Tho conference decided to Increase the salaries of nurses with more than two Years' experience and to circularise branches advising them to insure nurses against accident and sickness. It was decided that all applications to the Government for subsidies and grants .should be made through the Central Council. A Motueka remit, urging the need for small ears for nurses in big country districts was agreed to, as was a Nelson remit urging that the Society's cars should be exempted from licensing fees by the Government. In tho afternoon, the delegates were the guests of the president. The conference will be resumed to-morrow morning.