ROYAL HEALTH SOCIETY

Nelson Evening Mail, 17 May 1917, Page 7

ROYAL HEALTH SOCIETY

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children (Nelson) was held in the City Council Chambers yesterday afternoon, there were about 25 present. Mrs Buchanan (the President) was in the chair. Mrs Pogson (Treasurer) read the balance sheet, which showed a credit balance of £193 3s 3d. Mi 6/ Ledger (Secretary) read the report as foUruvs : "Nurse Wix was granted her holiday in September, and we were pleased to get Nurse Honeyfield to take her duties, which she fulfilled very satisfactorily. Increasing numbers of mothers have been seeking the Plunket nurse's advice, and classes in school are appreciated by teachers and pupils. "Our work has reached an important stage, the names of over SCO babies being on our books. We have lost sight of some, whose parents have left the district, and others are growing beyond babyhood, but are always welcome at the office, since we take the keenest interest in their progress. Many families are now represented by two children, I and of these younger ones we entertain high hopes, as the mothers have already bad the benefit of help and counsel from the nurse. We arc al*o greatly encouraged by hearing of little communities of Plunket mothers in remote parts of the country—the result perhaps of one mother's visit to the office, or the help nurse has been able to give by letter. Correspondence has been kept up with mothers in every part of the province of Nelson, from the Sounds to Murchison, and beyond Collingwood : while visits have been paid tp the Croixelles and many other isolated places. A correspondent in India has distributed a large number of our books, 'The Care and Feeding of Baby.' and gives a good report of several Plunket babies there. I so enormous a district to cover It is impossible to do justice to the work of helping the mothers, and that of almost greater importance, holding classes for the older girls in the schools. VVe should very much like to extend this ■work, but to do so we must get more financial support from the country districts to enable us to provide a second nurse, who could travel from one centre to another, and «o bring our aid within the reach of every mother. This could easily be acomplished if all those parents who have been helped by the nurse became members of the society,

which provides her services free to all. We must increase our membership and develop our usefulness, so that we may claim the continued support of the Government promised to us at the recent conference held in Wellington. "In September. Mrs Bright's resignation of the secretaryship was received with regret, and Miss Ledger was elected in her place. Mrs Pogson also sent in her resignation for the treasurership, which was received with regret. "Dr Truby King paid us a visit about the second week in February, and a meeting was hastily called to meet him, when he explained certain matters in connection with the general conference. "The Baby Clothing Branch. under the supervision of Mrs Rogers, has despatched since the last report three boxes of clothing, for the use of the wives and children of British sailors and soldiers. "On March 10th we held a most successful fete in the Botanical Gardens. Circulars were sent to all the schools, the idea being to interest the children in the Baby Clothing Fund. A prize was given to the school which sent in the best collection of baby garments, the Fifth Standard girls of the Central School being the successful competitoi-s. Sports were held for both boys and girlst There were stalls for afternoon tea and other refreshments. The garments which were contributed by the public and school-children were on view. Fourteen pounds was taken at the gates, and with donations amounted to £42. After paying for expenses and giving a donation towards the Baby Fund, £3O was sent to England for distribution amongst the wives of soldiers and sailors. "The genera! conference was held in Wellington on February 20th. Mrs r Buchanan and Mr H. Hunter-Brown attended as delegates. Mrs Nalder and Miss Ledger also attended the meetings. Representatives of the Plunket Society discussed with Ministers various matters connected with the work of the society, and Sir James Allen said that as far as the Government was concerned nothing would be done to hamper the society in its splendid work or interfere with the voluntary basis on which it was founded, and nothing would be. done to curtail the Government assistance. The. conference decided that during the war a bonus of 10 per cent would be paid to all Plunket nurses. New rules were adopted and passed by the society. They are now being printed ; also the account of the meetings of the general conference. When they arrive we hope that members will buy copies of them. "The thanks of the society arc due to the advisory board, to the auditor, the Press. Messrs Newman Bro*.. and to the numerous friends who helped to make the fete a success." Officers were elected as follows :—President, Mrs Buchanan : vice-presidents, Mesdames Hudson. Weeks, Fell, R.

! Fell, S. A. Lucas, Bett, and Knapp ; , hbn. secretary, Miss Ledger ; hon. trea- , surer, Mrs Berndtson ; committee, Mes--1 dames Baumber, Lock, Nalder, Cock, ' Edmonds, Walker, Field. Cresswell, j Hogg, H. Hunter-Brown, Judson, Ro- ' gers, R. Watson, Braddell, and Pharazyn, Nurse Vosper, Misses Ledger, Bisley, Hunter-Brown, and Bond : ex officio • members of committee, Mrs Snodgrass t (Mayoress), and Mivs Parker {Salvation j'Army); advisory board, Drs Lucas and ■ Bett' Messrs Duncan and Fell. A vote of thanks was passed to the auditor. Mr J. Heath. The President read several extracts from letters from Home and abroad in I appreciation of the work of the Society. ) A vote of thanks to the President tor I past services was carried by acclamation.