DOMINION BABY WEEK

Otago Witness, Issue 3313, 12 September 1917, Page 52

DOMINION BABY WEEK

PRESERVATION OF CHILD LIFE. NEW ZEALAND'S LOW BIRTH RATE. A preliminary meeting was hold in the Council Chambers last week under the auspices of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children, to consider the proposals of the Central Council for the observance of a. toby week from October 28 to November 2, and the best means of making- the week a success.

The Rev. A. Cameron, who presided, read several apologies tor absence tfoxn sympathisers, including one from the Mayor (Mr J. J. Clark), wno wished them every success. In asking Dr Tiuby King to address the meeting the Chairman congratulated him on the honour which had recently been bestowed on him, and remarked that New Zealand owed a debt of gratitude to the pioneers in such a work of the utmost National importance. Dr King said it %vas fitting that tho Chancellor ot tho University and the President of tho United Christian Council should preside over the meeting. Their work was essentially an educational one. They had to dispel the prevailing ignorance concerning the problems of childhood and afford sound, authoritative, reliable advice for the mothers of the race. As a means of making this knowledge further available to all, of promoting the cause of mother and child from a National and Patriotic point of view, it had been decided to hold a Dominion Baby Week, starting on October 28. This date had been chosen because the early summer was an opportune time to ensure the health of little children, who suffered most in the later hot days of our summer. The exhibitions and lectures would all be given free. We had a free educational system, and it was right that the most fundamental knowledge of all should be free also. The idea of holding such a week had originated in America, and had afterwards spread to England, where the energy and enthusiasm of Mr Lloyd George, recorded by the Clergy and the leading thinkers and humanitarian agencies of the Kingdom, had made it a striking success. New Zealand had been well represented there, and he hoped our own Baby Week would prove equally successful. Dr King then read the proposed events of the week. During the whole week, he said, there would bo an exhibition in Burns Hall dealing generally with the requirements and care of babies, one afternoon being specially set aside for teachers and school girls. Another afternoon would be devoted by the Plunket Committee to entertaining the mothers at afternoon tea. In the evenings a number of illustrated lectures had been arranged for, dealing with such subjects as feeding, foodstuffs, clothing, exercise, fresh air, and so on, and demonstrations by the Plunket Society's Nurses. Among the lectures and demonstrations will be contributions from Professor BoyesSmith ("Domestic Science"), Professors Champtaloup and Drennan ("Bacteria in Relation to Every-day Life," etc), Dr Truby King and Mr Tannock ("The Care and Growth of Baby Plants and Baby Animals," etc.). The Plunket Rooms in Jamieson's Buildings, Stuart street, and at King Edwo>-d road, South Dunedin, will be open every afternoon from 2 to 4, and Plunket Nurses will be in attendance.

On one afternoon the Karitane Harris Hospital will be open to the publio, and the matron and nunses will be glad to show those interested over the institution. Dr King concluded by remarking that they wanted the aid of the churches in the matter, since without physical health the highest could not be attained as regards either the mind or the soul. —(Applause.)

The Rev. R. E. Davies said he was sure the churches would give all the aid they could to the movement. Mrs H. 11. Driver asked if instruction would be given concerning the dangers of alcohol, the worst destroyer of health and the enemy of the race.—Dr King, in reply, said this aspect would receive the attention it merited.

Father Coffey said that ignorance concerning this most important problem was widespread. In devising methods of ensuring the health and proper upbringing of babies, however, they were not striking at the very root of the matter. The question was not only the rearing of children, but the getting of the children in tho first place. It would surprise them to learn that, with the possible exception of Victoria, New Zealand had the lowest birth rate of tho English-speaking nations. And while countries such as Rumania had 45 births to every thousand of her population, we in New Zealand had 24. We might say that for every child born in New Zealand two had been wrongly kept from seeing the light. This, said the speaker, was New Zealand's great crime—the crime of race suicide. Any attempts, however, to better the conditions of tho children who were born must have our whole-hearted sympathy and active support. Ho moved—" That the meeting approve of the proposed Dominion Baby Week, and form a committee to aic* the Central Council in carrying .it out successfully."—(Applause.) Tho motion was seconded by D.r Sydney Allen, and carried.

Dr Allen spoke hopefully with regard to the future. He said that where the trouble was taken to train and prepare women for motherhood, _ and to disabuse their minds as to its pains and penalties, and impress on them the privilege and advantage to the whole household of a normal family circle, parents were showing, in his experience, increased willingness to have larger families and to shoulder their responsibilities to the race. The following committee was then set up with power to add to ffe number: —Drs Cha.mpta.loup and Allen, Revs. R. E. Davies A. Cameron, George Heigh way. Father Coffey, Staff-captain Parks, and Messrs G. Ritchie, J. A. Johnstone, F. G. Camming, H. H. Driver, M'Gcorge, W, E. S. Knight (chairman of the Hospital Board), W. L. Logie, and P. R. Sargood.