THE PLUNKET SOCIETY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21103, 13 August 1930, Page 4

THE PLUNKET SOCIETY.

CURTAILMENT OF ASSISTANCE. STRONG PROTEST TO MINISTERS (Special to Daily Times.) WELLINGTON. August 12. Curtailments made in the vote towards, the work of the Plunket Society formed the‘subject of a protest by membe.rs of the Dominion Council who waited on the Prime Minister (Mr G. W. Forbes) and the Minister of Health (Mr A, J. Stallworthy) to-day. Mr J. A. Johnstone (Dunedin) said they considered their claim for a continuance of financial assistance from the State was justified by the public appreciation of the services given and by reason of the fact that already more than double.the amount contributed by the State was raised annually by valuntary effort. Payments during the last financial year amounted to £65,792 4s 6d, towards ' which the State contributed £15,818 3s 2d. The payments i met on account of the Karitane hospitals were £16,631 6a 9d, towards which the sum of £6750 was contributed by the State. • Mr Johnstone dwelt upon the valuable work which had been done by the Plunket Society in the interests of the women and. children of the Dominion. The society's work was a humanitarian, educational health mission, the success of which was due to the fundamental principle that it was free to all. To-day 66 per cent, of the babies born' 1 in the Dominion came directly under the care of. tne Plunket nurses. The Society emphasised the fact that it was not asking for financial assistance for any new undertaking. It was merely asking for the means whereby it might be able to carry on the work already established throughout the country, the growth of which was controlled by the public, and was beyond the power of tile society. It merely asked for the continuance of the State’s assistance—ra grant at the rate of £126 a year towards the salary of each Plunket nurse appointed. Mr Johnstone maintained' that the late Mr, SeddOn, the late Mr Massey, Mr Coates, and the late Sir Joseph Ward would, never have contemplated for one moment a reduction in the grant for the maintenance of Karitand hospitals or Plunket nurses! The Mayor. of Wellington (Mr'/G. A. Troup) said they felt that before uuy reduction was made in the vote to the Plunket Society every avenue should be explored to raise the necessary revenue. The Plunket Society should be the last to suffer. The Plunket Society was probably one of the best advertisements that New Zeajand had^ The Minister of .Health said that before any reduction was made the Estimates were carefully examined, but it had to be remembered that there was only a limited sum of money available for the purposes of the Health Department. It was not correct to assume that the society had been deprived of £6OOO. As a matter of fact, the shortage was only £I9OO, and it was possible that that amount wmi be made up in the Supplementary Estimates.

The Prime Minister said they had to ■ bear in .mind that New Zealand was now passing through one of the most critical periods, in its history, and it was the duller to be as economical as posmble. As Prime Minister, it was his duty to ask everybody, irrespective of the nature of the work they were doing to witch their expenses ■. and endeavour, if posable, to reduce 1 them to the absolute mimmnm. !t was stiff his unpleasant task to introduce measures in the House with the object of making up deficiencies m the revenue,