GIFT TO MOTHERHOOD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21249, 1 August 1932, Page 11

GIFT TO MOTHERHOOD

SIR TRUBY KING'S HOME MATERNITY HOSPITAL TRIBUTES TO THE DONOR The intention of Sir F. Truby King to present his home in Wellington to tho Plunket Society, for use as a .maternity hospital, was announced by him last week at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Society for the Health of Women .and Children. This very fine residence, standing on the crest of the hill overlooking Lyall Bay and Cook Strait, and adjoining tho grounds of tho Karitane Home, is a very comfortable and unique property, with a magnificent outlook. Sir Truby King's announcement had a marked effect on those present, and at tho conclusion of his speech Dr. Platts-Mills asked all present to stand " in honour of the great man who has been such an inspiration to us." Sir Truby said his idea was to give the property freely, subject to tho coni sent of his executor, tho Public Trustee, who had to see his daughter safeguarded. With that reservation, the property would be handed over just as it was, and, ho thought, within twelve months. Wo reserve nothing," he said. " The house is well furnished and very well equipped in every way. The piano is a good one, and it will remain the hospital piano. All I the pictures will go with it—wo reservo none. If they have given us pleasure they will give others pleasure, and nothing is too good to dignify motherhood. " Tho place commands a beautiful view of Wellington," Sir Truby continued. "It overlooks Cook Strait and the Kaikouras, rising majestically 10,000 feet into tho air. I consider that in such a placo women will recover more rapidly than in less bright surroundings. This will bo given up as soon as the Public Trustee considers the expedient time has arrived." Sir Truby King went on to speak of the value of perfect nutrition, emphasising how much more valuable it was to produce healthy children, to prevent disease, rather than depend on hospitals and the like through early neglect of natural laws. He also referred to the value of saving premature birth life, and quoted Isaao Newton and Sir Humphry Davy as men who were prematurely born. " I could never have done it," said Sir Truby, in speaking of his work, "unless I had an ideal wife, and I would have the place called the 'Lady King Hospital.' I could not have carried out the work without Lady King's constant aid and support. " As for me—there is nothing to thank me for. I have had a happy life, and this work I only took up when I was 50. It has brought me into contact with the noble women of this community, and there is no woman who is not able when there is social service of this kind offering. I brought nothing into the world, and I take nothing out of it. I say, as a last word, with Emerson: 'The child is the perpetual Messiah sent to bring fallen man back to paradise.' "