SOCIAL WELFARE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21972, 1 December 1934, Page 12

SOCIAL WELFARE

VOLUNTARY EFFORTS

HON. W. D. STEWART'S VIEWS TEMPERING NATIONAL CONTROL [BY TELEGRAPH—OWN CORRESPONDENT] DUNEDIN. Friday The subject of "Social Welfare in a Changing World" was dealt with by the Hon. W. Downie Stewart today in an address at the annual meeting of the Dnnedin branch of the Plunket Society. He drew some tolling analogies between the planned economy and eifort of the State and the work of voluntary organisations. / In the course of his remarks, Mr. Stewart said:—"l believe the work of voluntary organisations does more to wesi.ro together and integrate tho lifo of society than wo have any conception of, and so the broad principlo I am seeking tc contend for is that, in so far as we appear to bo committed to the growing extension of national planning and control, it is. of the utmost importance that this should be tempered by the continued activity of bodies of citizens, banded together to take a personal and-human interest in the welfare of their fellow citizens. "It was for this reason that, about ten years ago, I viewed with some concern -the growing tendency of your society to rely more and moro on State grants and subsidies, because it seemed to me that the further that process was carried, the more your work and activities must pass under the direction and control of Stato officials. I do not question your claim to such grants. The moro your movement became nation-wide, _ the moro difficult it became to carry on without Government assistance, but, had it been possible, I would have preferred to have seen your society entirely selfcontained and supported by voluntary subscriptions and entirely master of its own household." Mr. Stewart said he did not think the society could have ever achieved the great results that stood to its credit had Sir Truby King launched it as a State official, tied and bound by all the restrictions that iriust be a feature of departmental administration. It was true that such men were rare, but Sir Truby was a striking example of what an immense influence one man could wield if he was that rare combination —a thinker and a man of action, a man who dreamed fine dreams and then set himself to realise them.

"If we could only have surh a dynamic personality to cope not merely with our infant welfare but to inspire and compel our citizens to achieve the highest standards of citizenship in all phases of our national life, there is 110 limit to what New Zealand could achieve," Mr. Stewart continued. "It is a common criticism of democracy that it constantly tends toward mediocrity and uniformity. That is why everyone gladly recognises and pays homage to so vivid an' individual personality as Sir Truby King."

NAMING OF HOSPITAL SIR TRUBY KING HONOURED [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] DUNEDIN. Friday In recognition of the work of the founder, Sir Truby King, members of tho Dunedin branch of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of "Women and Children decided at the annual meeting to-day to change the name of the Karitane-Harris Hospital to the Truby King-Harris Hospital.