HEALTH OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18280, 24 June 1921, Page 2

HEALTH OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

ANNUAL MEETING OF SOCIETY. The annual meeting of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health ot Women and Children was held yesterday afternoon at the Town Hall. The attendance was very largo, numbering about ICO and representing ■ all sections of the community, a good testimony to.the work the society is acnievihg and to the continued growth of public interest and appreciation. Dr A. Cameron presided. Among many apologies for inability to be present was a telegram from Mrs King, on behalf of Dr Truby King, general president of the society and Director of Child Welfare for New Zealand. Mrs King intimated that Dr King had hurt himself not seriously, and would soon be all ngnt again. Drs Valentine and Wylie, of the Public Health Department, and Sir Francis Bell, file Hon. C. J. Parr, and the Hon, Downie Stewart also forwarded apologies. In moving the adoption of tne report and balance sheet, Dr - Cameron first returned thanks for being given tho privilege of presiding. He said that for a considerable time he was in close proximity to the Karitane-Harris Hospital, and saw a good deal of the work that was being done. The more ho saw of it the more he was impressed with its value and the more he rejoiced in tho way in which it continued to grow. For a while there. was but the one centre, but now the society had spread throughout the length 1 and breadth of the dominion, so that the good work begun some 14 years ago had become a very important factor in the life of the community. '. hen he was over in Australia less than three years ago. a meeting of social wor-. leers gathered from all parts of' Australasia, and he was surprised to find what a widespread interest there was in the work of the society, and how eager the women of all parts of Australia were to gather information about the work being done. He thought there was great reason to be proud of the work begun here, a work that bad grown so and was doing so much for the community. He had great pleasure in moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet It was one of which the society should be proud. It spoke of • work of the highest importance well done. During the year there were some 66 nurses in training tit, the hospital; 26 completed training as Plunket nurses, and 10 as Karitane nurses. That in itself showed how greatly the work had grown. If the number of. visits' made by Plunket nurses were noted and the number of visits paid to the nurses offices none could fail to realise that the work was growing rapidly. Dr Cameron went on to speak of the great difficulties 'hut had had ro be overcome, and the prejudices standing in the way, particularly referring to the notion that what was good enough for the parents of tho past was good enough to-day. It was not easy at times for the Plunket nurses tc convince the young mother that there was a bolter way handling baby than that practised by the grandmother. The work being done by the society was of vital importance to tiie wJiole community. He congratulated the society on tho successful manner in which-the work was being carried on, and expressed the hope that the report would b-> heartily adopted- He noticed that the report said that money was needed, some £r'U4o, to pay off tne debt lor building and furnishing. He hoped that the money would quickly bo forthcoming and that the endowment fund of the society would be •raised very much above the amount at which it at present stood, Mr C. E. Statham, M.P., in seconding the motion, said that while all must feel justified and thankful at tho wonderful developments and attainments of medical and surgical science, he would like to emphasise tho fact that a great many of tho ills to which flesh was heir were probably due to the .conditions of modem civilisation. It was true that people were very often ignorant of the laws of Nature, but there were many of the poorer c,asses who had not the advantages of hygienic surroundings. Looking at the whole matter fairly and squarely we had to recognise that all the much vaunted attainments were only directed to bringing us back to the doors of health, the, birthright of every /nan and woman born into the world. The society recognised the truth of tho old adage that pi'evention is better than cure, and so it had set itself to teach people to start at the beginning. The community, was very much indebted to Dr Truby King in regard to the work; he had devoted his whole life to it, and all were gratified that he had become the first Director of Child Welfare in New Zealand. In regard to the Government policy towards the society, slx Statham said he was glad to see that the Prime Minister last year intimated that it was actually part of the policy of tho present Government to encourage the Plunket Society and assist it. He (Mr Statham) desired to say that that should bo the policy of any party in power. Mr Massey had also said that ho would sooner see the work being done by such a society as that now carrying it on than by a department of State. With that he (Mr Statham) concurred. Mr Massey, speaking as head of the Government, and on’ behalf of every member of it, had stated that money spent in the work was money well expended, aqd he thought they got particularly good value for it. He could see no end to the usefulness of the socity, and he foresaw* the ,time when every town in New Zealand would have a branch of the society. Mr Statham expressed the hope that the Government would always show practical sympathy to the society,' and always stop up to tho mark and render the financial assistance to which the society was justly entitled.—(Applause.) In conclusion, Mr Statham hoped tho society would continue to prosper and continue the good work it had so successfully carried on during the past few years. The report was adopted. Mr E. Kcllett, M.P., was called upon to move the adoption of the following offiecbeaxers fftr the ensuing year:—President, Mrs J. A. Johnstone; vice-presidents—Lady Allen, Mesdamcs Gallnway, Joseph M‘George, W. A. Moore, J. M. Ritchie, John Ross, and T. K. Sidey; committee— Mesdames Aiken, Ansell-Hodson, Arundel, Bogg, Champtaloup, Cutininghame, A. Isaacs, Jackson, Carmalt Jones, Kelly, J. O M‘George, M’Kibbon, M'Killop, MXaxen, Mandeno, A. „C. Matheson, O’Neill, C. W. Rattray, K, Ross, Sim, Solomon, Sister Nora, Professor Rawson Commandant Simpson, Misses Gow, Joachim, ,F. and N. Reid, Downie Stewart, 0.E.E.; Advisory Board—Dr Truby King, C.M.G., Messrs I’etor Bari - , F. H. Can - , Leslie Harris, G. R. Ritchie, P. R. Sargood, T. K. Sidey, M.P.; honorary surgeon. Dr L. E. Barnett, C.M.G.;’ honorary bacteriologist, Dr S. T Champtaloup; honorary dental surgeon, Dr Pickenli; honorary analyst, Dr Inglis; honorary physicians (Kantare-Hams Hoopitcl)—Drs. Truby King, C.M.G., E. H. Williams, S. B. W Strain, F. S Batchelor, K. Ross, Russell Ritchie’, T. Harrison; honorary solicitor, Mr Geo. Mondy; honorary treasurer, Mrs D. E. Thoomin; honorary foreign correspondent, Mr AV. Jenkins. The motion was seconded by Rev. F. G. Gumming. Both Mr Kellett and Mr Gumming bore testimony to the good work of the society, and made particular mention of the excellent service rendered by the office-bearers during tho year just closed. This concluded the business side of the meeting. Dr Carmalt Jones afterwards delivered an instructive and timely address on "Breathing,” a report of which appears clsewhex - e. On the motion of Mr Peter Barr, ho was accorded a, hearty vote of thanks. Mr Balfour moved a vote of thanks to the chairman. and tho proceedings concluded with tho singing of ‘God Save the King.”