LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14684, 18 November 1909, Page 4

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

DR TRUBY KING'S SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY. Sin,—May 1 bo allowed to say a few .fords of, perhaps, necessary explanation with regard to Mr Frasor's letter in to-day's Times? We, as the committeo of tho Society for the Health of Women and Children, felt that our truest and least. " empty appreciation " of Dr King's most noble work was to carry it on with all our power, so that the work so deal- to his heart should not fail. Yet at tho same time wo felt that a public recognition of what Dr King lias done for womou and children of New Zealand ought to be mado by the whole of tho Dominion; and we are glad to soc that Mr Fraser has .nado his suggestion. Wo can assure him that wo shall most cordially help in anything proposed.—l am, etc., S. Vv'.' Joachim, Vioo-P'resident, the Society for the Health of Women and Children. ' November 17.

Sir,—'The letter by Mr Frascr • which appeared in 10-day's Times, referring to my conncction with the Society for the Health- 1 of Women ami Children, conies as morothan a surprise. I quite appreciate /the' spirit of the communication, but thoro i? ' really no ground whatovor for singling' out anyone in a case of this kind. The society" waif founded by women in the special, interests of mother and child and the rising' generation, and it was understood. from '' tho first that my relationship to the "direc : tion of the league was to bo merely ,iorary. It is true that my proposal, to!'' retire after the first few meetings proved, rot to Ira feasible, but the advisory' and'.' co-ordinating function which I have since been called on to exercise throughout, tho. Dominion lias left the local committees quite unhampered. The development of . each centre, including Dunedin, lias been throughout in the hands of tho women who gavo themselves to the work, and it is an interesting fact that there is not, a single branch in which the essential personnel of tho committee has changed. In every centre a few devoted workers have given most of their available time to making the mission a practical success, ami it would bo in every sense an in- ' justico not to recognise this a s the truol'. source of the society's progress. A . good start lias been made, but there is still much strenuous opposition where there ought to be warm-hearted support'; much ' prejudioo ami ignorance to overcome, and ' an infinity of practical teaching to "be"'! done as to the simple essentials for healthy living. In 6pite of all that has been achieved in the past threo years fchcro'" is far more to do ahead. Tho campaign is ' going to be a long and arduous one, and' the leading spirits of the various com- 1 niittces know that nothing but years of' 1 unremitting ■ work 011 their part can achieve the full measure of what they have set out to do. They are prepared to go 011, they are prepared to go through', but they need the encouraging and prac-" tical support of tho public; and *in no way is support 60 encouraging as when it ' comes in the form of membership and taking a real interest in what the society ' is doing. If every mother, and indeed every woman, would join and help the ■ movement, there would be no limit to tho good that would be effected. Tho society's... pecuniary position makes the subscription of 5s a matter of somo importanoe, but the personal interest, sympathy, and help, of women who take the trouble to see the enormous benefit which the society brinr?3 to -mothers and the rising generation signifies oven more. Membership could bo extended by existing members trying tointerest their. friends in what tho society., is doing. In no way could tlioy impress . people more than by taking them to see tho work goingon at the Ivaritane Hospital, or at the Taieri Dairy Factory, or through; tho agency of the two Plunket nurses in their daily rounds, or at the society's room in Liverpool street. There is always a mem-' berslup roll of six or seven hundred, but, tho society t would liko to havo a. thousand,; or more—including men, whose interest and support is always most welcome. It . wou|d be well if all men could 6eo tliiq ' matter as many already do, and, as it was!' stated by the Governor and Lady Plunket, For the sake of women and children, for • tho advancement of tho Dominion, and for the honour of the Empire.:: "While insisting on the arduous work done'' by the committees, I should like to say V word as to what th*. society owes to its nurecs. In selecting these we havo mado' it clear in every instance that we did not wish anyone to become a Plunket nurso who was not genuinely fond of children.' and who did not intend to follow the work as a mission—to give herself to it in the sens© in which Florence Niglitingalo gavo herself to tho English people, and in the sense convoyed by tho words' graven CP- the reverse of the Plunket medals': "Love, pity, and sympathy, for God's'.sake" and His littlo ones." How much the true spins of their calling has prevailed among tho Plunket nurses .is piobably known to no one so intimately as to myself. They have i:ot merely worked while they havo had the light—they have worked whenever and_ as long .-is there were mothers anj babies needing their help, and howeoevor ihey could best render assistance. Thoy have worked with true enthusiasm, and ' without thought as to time or reward. Again ana again it l:as happened that wlreci funds wcro low Nurses liave toiled "their hardest for salaries that wcro not adequate. Further, they havo deprecated any increase being made or havo aetually refused it, and have com® forward with offers to continue the work though they should bo paid nothing. Service of thin . kind is not for sale, It comes from. tho. heart, and from ail earnest conviction of tho good that is being done—good of which the nurses are themselves the principle .witnesses and tlw best judges. They would not work in tho spirit in which they do if they dill "not realise to tho full that their , work is effective, and that it bears abun- • danfc fruit; nor would other offers of en- ■. tirely voluntary unpaid lifo-servico reao'i us if tho community outside had not come to realise somehow that this "mutual-help" mission of women among themselves is more than a passing incidont in our midst. If Mr Frascr and the Mayor would- institute a movement in tho direction of in-' creasing the membership of tho society and widening and dceponing public interest in • its work, they would be of infinite service to tl-.e cause of home lifo and the health and happiness of women and children. This is tho only direction in which Mr Eraser's : suggestion would be acceptable to myself.— I am, etc., November 17. F. Tkdbi King. THE LAND BALLOTS. Sir,—There is a sentence in your leader of to-day on "Tho Land Proposals" to wliioh I must take exception. It is the following: "No oiro has yet been able to differentiate between the morality' of. conducting a ballot for land and of a precisely similar operation about the issue of a horjo" ' race." Surely the writer of your leader* hiuj' allowed his thought to take the popular idea fot granted. The ballot is for tho privilege to occupy certain land, I take it, and any success in this Hire docs not do ' away with the responsibility to pay tho money value either as freeholder or tenant —an entirely different transaction to that of the winner of a "dividend" from tho totalkator, otc. v ' | If our legislators arc giving , successful ; land selectors such splendid opportunities to make handsome profits out of tho 1 ballot system, surely it is time something \yag done to safeguard the interests of the people—l am. etc., Morality" '' November 12. —

the highland rifles.;;:i ( S lf •~ I • f " ot . lce that t . h ® Highland-'.'fii'i&s" of t lU, c.ty have mostly all thoir in Khaki—;i th,BB which I thinl- is 1 ' 'l 500 50,110 distinction ' ''i 0 PipC B-nd-kilt, 1 I « 1 i "'® a " a shortK?—l f olc" 10 h" ma<lo Wry !| November 16 H ' Gn " NDER