OBITUARY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 10 February 1938, Page 6

OBITUARY

SIR TRUBY KING FOUNDER OF PLUNKET SOCIETY MOVEMENT WHICH HAS BECOME WORLD-WIDE WELLINGTON. This Day. The death has occurred of Sir Truby King, aged 79 years. Born in New Plymouth in 1858, Sir Truby King was the son of Thomas King, former M.P. for Oxford, England. He was educated privately at New Plymouth, and at Edinburgh University, where he gained the degress of M 8., C.M., in 1886. After being resident surgeon at the Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, he came out to New Zealand, and from 1888-1889 was Medical Superintendent of Wellington Hospital. He held the same position at a mental hospital in Seacliff, Otago, and was appointed Lecturer on Mental Diseases at Otago University from 1889-1921. He was a scientific farmer and delegate to agricultural conferences, and was also appointed Examiner in Public Health. He married Isabella Cockburn Millar :n 1887, their home being at Mount Melrose, Wellington. Among his recreations were farming and gardening. He is most widely known as the founder and organiser of the Plunket Society and of the New Zealand Royal Society, which were begun in 1907. The Plunket Society was next organised in England, and since then has become a world-wide organisation. In 1913, on behalf of the New Zealand Government he went to London to attend the great English-speaking conference, and four years later was invited by Lord Plunket and the British authorities to develop a Mothercraft Training Centre in London. In 1917, the title of C.M.G. was conferred on him, and in 1926 he wag knighted. He became Director of Child Welfare in New Zealand, and also Director of the Karitane Products Society. He is the author of various books and papers on these two organisations.

"Sir Truby King’s name is associated with infant welfare work, the world over, and it will be for history to assess the debt which humanity owes to his Plunket movement,” said Lord Bledisloe on one occasion. “Howfver. it surely would not be exaggeration *o say that there is no movement in the world to-day which is contributing more to the well-being of humanity and no man has done more for child welfare. by noble and self-sacrificing efforts in the cause of mother and child, than has Sir Truby King, one of New Zealand’s noblest sons."

FUNERAL ON SATURDAY

MEMORIAL SERVICE IN AFTERNOON

The funeral will be held on Saturday next when a memorial service will take place at St. Paul’s Pro-Cathedral, Wellington, at 3 p.m. The interrment will take place at Melrose. Advice to this effect was received by the secretary of the Nelson Plunket Society to-day.