Plunket Society Review Year’s Work

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 1423, 19 June 1936, Page 11

Plunket Society Review Year’s Work

ADDRESS BY MISS MARY TRUBY KING Tko annual meeting of the Palmerston North branch of the Plunket Society was hold at the P.D.C. tearooms yosterduy afternoon, Mr. A. E. Mansford (.Mayor) presiding. Thero was a good attendance of members and those interested in the work of the society. Mr. Mansford extended a very warm welcome to members of the Foxton subbranch who wero present, while visitors from Feilding and Marton wore also welcomed. ’The annual report (previously published) and balance-sheet were presented by Mrs. M. Aitchison (secretarytreasurer). In moving the adoption of tho report, Mr. Mansford stated that it was most gratifying to read that tho year had been so successful both from tho Plunket work and financial point of view, the credit balance boing £SO this year, in comparison with £3O last year. Also the Foxton sub-branch had shown a considerable improvement and this, too, was very pleasing. New Zealand, he said, had every reason to be proud of tho Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children, which was founded 30 years ago by Sir Truby King, and it was gratifying to know that the speaker for the afternoon would be Miss Mary Truby King, daughter of the founder of this society. When the society was formed tho infant mortality was no greater in Now Zealand than in any part of the world but with the active co-opcration and support of loyal workers the society was formed and whereas tho infant mortality was at 8 per cent, it had now dropped to 3 per cent., the lowest percentage in the world. Other countries have followed New Zealand’s example, especially Australia, where much of the credit is due to Miss Truby King, who has been, organising there. In conclusion, Mr. Mansford expressed hopes that the ensuing year would be a most successful one.

Mr. Mansford also spoke of great self-sacrifices made by the ladies working for the society and also of tho sympathetic co-operation the nurses had given the committee to further the development of building up healthy young New Zealanders.

Colonel Whyte also commented on tho report, congratulating the committee on the very sound finances, the present bank balance being £B9 greater than last year. This increase, he said, was due to tho photographic competition and street day and shows tho interest people of Palmerston North take in the society and also reflects credit on the untiring work of the ladies’ committee. Mr. Mansford paid a glowing tribute to the work done by Misses Kearns and Lockwood and stated that but for their efforts tho work of the committee would be moro difficult that it. was. Tho election of officers resulted as follows: —Patrons, ' their Excellencies Viscount and Viscountess Galway; patroness, Mrs. A. E. Mansford; president, Mrs. A. Coombs; vice-presidents, Mesdames J. A. Nash, W. 11. Will, L. A. Abraham, J. Fisher,' D. Mitchell, C. W. Peach, C. King, F. J. Nathan, L. H. Collinson, T. F. Fail-brother, A. A. Langley, J. Murray, C. A. Small, A. 1.. Robinson, J. H. Whyte, N. H. Sinclair and Miss McLagan; lion, secretary and treasurer, Mrs. M. Aitchison; hon. solicitor, Mr. T. F. Rolling; hon. auditor, Mr. Cyril Day, A.P.A. (N.Z.); committee, Mcsdames H. B. Free, T. J. Rodgers, K. B. Garland, R. T. Tidswell, J. Hope-Johnston, A. Grigor, H. B. Bennett, Cr. S. Peren, W. G. Black, G. C. Petersen, L. A. Ferguson, W. M. Webster and T. G. Crooks; representatives Foxton sub-bi-anch, Mesdamcs D. R. Barron (hon. secretary) and W. Trueman; advisory board, Drs. W. H. Will, Wilson, Mr. C. S. Williams, Messrs A. E. Mansford, J. A. Nash, Col. Whyte, Messrs A. J. Graham, J.. Murray, L. M. Abraham, A. Grigor, J. Ireland, R. L. C. Aitchison; finance committee, Mcsdames Coombs and Aitchison, Miss McLagan, Dr. W. H. Will, Messrs A. E. Mansford, A. Grigor, J. Ireland, R. L. C. Aitchison, T. F. Rolling and Col. Whyte. A letter was received from Mrs. W.

H. Sinclair conveying her Intention of resigning from. ‘ the committee. This resignation was received with regret and it was decided that tho secretary should write to Mrs. Sinclair in appreciation of her splendid services. Miss McLagan also expressed a wish to resign. Mr. Mansford expressed much pleasure in introducing Miss Truby King to those present. Miss Truby King was smartly attired in a navy blue frock and grey fur coat with which she wore a matching navy blue halo hat. A pleasing incident occurred when the Mayoress (Mrs. A. E. Mansford) presented Miss King with a lovely box of early spring flowers, freesias, jonquils, violets, maidenhair fern and late roses, effectively tied with gold ribbon. Miss King briefly replied, referring to tho Plunket rooms which she thought particularly charming. Just before tho meeting closed Col. Whyte moved that a warm vote of thanks be accorded Mr. Mansford for acting in the capacity of chairman. This was carried by acclamation. A dainty afternoon tea was served and as a happy interlude Mrs. W. M. Webster delighted with two vocal solos. A Talk by Miss Truby King. “It is just 30 years since the Plunket Society began,” said Miss Truby King in speaking to those present, “and it seems an appropriate time to look back over the achievements of the past because justified pride in achievements spurs us on to fresh efforts.”

In 1907 tho infant death rate was 80 per 1000 live births, stated Miss King, but at the present time there were only 32 per 1000, thus tho infant death rate was more than cut in half. Regarding the death rate from infantile diarrhoea, which is the greatest scourge of infants, she statod that, in 1007, 15 per 1000 died from this disease; now it had decreased to 1 per 1000. Thus New Zealand has the lowest death rate of any country;

The great movement was brought about so simply that it is surprising it had not been thought of before, but, continued the speaker, it takes a great man to realise a simple thing and that man was Sir Truby King. Now 87 per cent, of the babies in Now Zealand come under the Plunket nurse, mothers in outlying districts coming in contact by correspondence. It was interesting to note that in Australia tho wireless was used for the purpose of helping mothers in the back country.

Feeding was one of tho 12 essentials taught by the system and among tho lesser things was the introduction of .fresh air, the banisliw-nt of the “dummy” and long tube feeder and many other small details which mean so much.

Of course, said Miss King, Sir Truby King could havo done nothing without the aid of thousands of women such as those on the Palmerston North branch, working behind the scenes. A tribute was paid to Miss Kearns, who was, an the speaker’s estimation, one of the finest nurses in the movement. Miss Kearns had been in touch with Sir Truby King in the older days and thns her services were invaluable as she knew the very live spirit the founder had put into the movement. Later nurses would not havo this personal contact and it is then than the older nurses would be invaluable.

However, with the committee, one of the chief things was the burden of finance. It was most necessary, too, that tho services of Plunket nurses must be voluntary as the mothers would tend to stay away until the baby was ill and it was the object of the society not to cure sickness but to prevent sickness. The society was for mutual helpfulness. Continuing, Miss Truby King stated that Japan, which has a very high infant death rate, was so interested in the movement at present (hat Miss Vida Maclean, lato matron of the Truby King Hospital, Sydney, was brought to New Zealand and is now waiting the official call to Japan. It was Dr. Kagawn who approached Sir Truby King on the matter. Last year’s figures of the work done by- the society were amazing. For the year ending March, 1935, visits paid by Plunket nurses to homes totalled 102,Sl7, and visits paid Oy mothers and children to the Plunket offices totalled 033,021. In 1932 Sir Truby King prophesied that the New Zealand infant death rate, which then stood at 33 per 1000 births, would in another 15 years have fallen to only 10 per 1000 births. This cannot be achieved unless there is more concentration on the ante-natal work. Miss King stressed that of all New Zealand babies, who survive the first month of life, less than 1 in 100 die under one year of age. Statisticians had compounded a theory whereby the value of each person could be worked out in pounds, shillings and pence, but t.hc value of a mother defeats the science of the statistician.

After conveying greetings from her father, who was unable to come owing to failing health, Miss Truby King concluded with Sir Truby King’s own words:—

“The personal influence of the members of the committee can never be what it should be until the keen inter-