WELFARE OF INFANTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19391, 28 July 1926, Page 12

WELFARE OF INFANTS.

PLUNKET SOCIETY'S WORK. SPEECH' BY' GOVERNOR-GENERAL. ;[BY telegraph:.—press association. ] ; ' WELLINGTON. 'Tuesday. ; ! At. the" annual conference' of delegates of . the Plunket . Society over 100 were present -from all parts of the Dominion. ! The report stated" that tho* society had steadily progressed.' It was decided to increase the number .of visits paid to homes by nurses. The total number of babies on the books of the society was 41,655, of which 13,819-were new cases.

In an address to the conference the Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson, referred to tho deaths of Mr. Wolf Harris and! Mesdame3 -Bristed and Theomin. Sir Charles said .he was delighted to note that the, work and .influence -of the organisation were still extending throughout the world.. The large increase of visits to mothers'and infants was proof of the increased- cbnfidence of' the community, in the work of the society. He understood the aim was-to have a nurse to every 10,000 of the population. That meant' that New Zealand would have 150.

" : It was gratifying to be able io say the maternal mortality rate was now appreciably . smaller than two ' years ago. ; Everyone was interested in the progress of the work, of the society, not only from "a! humanitarian aspect, -but. also because it ; was a movement which would' largely diminish the expenditure of general hospitals', mental hospitals and kindred institutions. ' Rearing healthy children and saving the lives of- mothers would do more •to solve, certain . problems in this coui;itry i than any. scheme of immigration. The whole-civilised..world would never forget, when thinking of the Plunket ■ Society; "the names of : ' Sir'"Truby and Lady Ring. • f

NEW; KARITANE HOSPITAL. LAYING • OF FOUNDATION-STONE. [3Y TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] I : WELLINGTON. Tuesday , Tlie foundation-stone of the new Wellington Karitane Hospital' will be laid tomorrow morning by Lady Alice Fergusson. The ceremony will mark the official commencement of work on the new building, tße fund for the erection of which will just meet the cost. • The, committee, is confident that the £IO.OOO necessary for the equipment of the hospital will be contributed once the building is erected.