THE PLUNKET SOCIETY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19469, 27 October 1926, Page 14

THE PLUNKET SOCIETY.

LINES OF DEVELOPMENT. A CO-OPERATIVE CAMPAIGN. Future developments in the work of the Plunket Society were mentioned at the Child Welfare Conference last evening. Mrs. W. H. Parkes, who presided, mentioned that a joint campaign was to be launched bv the Plunket Society, the St. Helens Homes, and the child welfare service of the Health Department. So far as Auckland was concerned, the Plunket Society now had a Karitane hospital with a mothers' cottage attached, and had accumulated a ronnd sum toward an endowment, The Plunket nnrses would soon have proper headquarters in a building of their own in Symonds Street. There was need for one more chargenurse in Auckland, and one would be provided. "We are affording it afterwards," said Mrs. Parkes, "but our future policy depends largely upon the generosity of the public." Sir Truby King, Director of Child Welfare, told the conference that ultra-violet ray apparatus was being procured for all the Karitane Hospitals. It might be said that there was plenty of sunshine in New Zealand, but sometimes there were days of dull weather, and it was not possible, even on fine days, to treat all patients in the open air. ' With the apparatus children suffering from certain conditions of malnutrition and disease could be treated at any time The question of handing over the ;sr: i sty's work to the State having been raised, Sir Truby King and Mrs. Parkes both opposed any such idea. " I should be very sorry to see the society become a Government department," said Mrs. Parkes. "Wo get a great deal of help from the Government, but a great deal of our success is due to the fact that wo carry on the work as we do." " I have been a civil servant for nearly 40 years," said Sir Truby King, "and most of what I have been able to accomplish has been done outside my official duties." He added that the late Mr. Massev, Sir James Allen and Mr. Coates had all expressed the hope that the society would continue as it was. It was better that its funds should come from the gratitude and goodwill of the people than that it shold be a charge on the taxpayer.