PLUNKET SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3775, 20 July 1926, Page 36

PLUNKET SOCIETY.

CARING FOR THE BABIES. The annual meeting of the Dunedin branch of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children took place in the City Council Chambers on July 12, and drew a large attendance. The Mayor, Mr H. L. Tapley, C.M.G., M.P., presided, and notified a number of apologies that had been received, including messages from Sir Truby King and the Hon. J. A. Young, Minister of Public Health. The Minister mentioned that a sum of £15,000 had been placed on the Estimates to assist the work of the society, and that a further £II,OOO would be placed on the supplementary Estimates, making £26,000 in all. In moving the adoption of the annual report, Mr Tapley said that they should be proud to think that this society, founded here some 19 years ago by Sir Truby King, bad now spread its tentacles all over the world. Tnose who had read the report would realise that they in Dunedin had reason to be specially proud that the society had started here. They were fortunate in having in Dunedin at the time their illustrious founder, Sir Truby King and that wonderful band of women who had helped him in his work at, the time. The speaker also paid a tribute to Lady King, who had also done some great work in that direction, and added that it would be gratifying to all if Lady King herself received 6ome signal honour for what she had done. Mr Tapley went on to say that, looking through the report, he had noticed that the total infantile death-rate for the past year had not changed from that of the previous year—namely, 4 * per cent., «and that Dunedin enjoyed the lowest percentage of 3.3. There had, during the past year, been no deaths in Dunedin at all through that scourge, infantile diarrhoea, while the rate in Auckland had greatly decreased. The figures published in the report were very gratifying indeed. The society was also taking a great deal of interest in maternal mortality, and the results go (o show the great value of the instruction and care that have been given. Last year Dunedin enjoyed the smallest death-rate in this respect —namely, 1.46 per 1000. He hoped that that mortality rate would be jtill further reduced until it was practically nil It was gratifying to note that the Government was taking such a sympathetic interest in the work of the society. It was in the economic interests of the Government to deal liberally with the institutions that were carrying on this class of work. The Mayor concluded by saying that the question the society laboured under now was one of finance. To attain a satisfactory position the society required to get its endowment fund built up to £20,000 at least, and he appealed to all those who were wealthy enough to bequeath some of their money to this fund. Mr P. R. Sargood, in seconding the motion, added his tribute to what the Mayor had said of the work of the executive which was now bearing such splendid fruit. The motherhood of the Dominion was now rallying to the cause in increasing numbers to receive the benefits offered them by the society. The work was national in scope, and it was very gratifying to find the State supporting it, but he hoped it would always be carried on by private' enthusiasm and effort. He pointed out that the total expenditure of the society throughout the Dominion for the year had been about £70,000. Of this, £34,000 had been provided by the Government, including £IB,OOO for buildings, and £35,000 came from private enterprise. A total of 41,655 babies had been nursed by the society. The total clerical expenditure was only £I7OO odd. He hoped the work w r ould continue to grow and increase as it had done in the past. ✓ The motion was carried unanimously.

Dr Gowland, who proposed the officebearers for the ensuing year, sa *d that there were one single thing for which New Zealand could be said to be famous it could, perhaps, be summed up in the one word “muscle”—whether in the mutton or lamb for which the country was renowned, or in its athletes of whom the All Blacks were a fair sample. The society could not take any credit for the fame of the mutton, but it certainly had some say in regard to the athletic development of the country. The proposal for the election of officebearers was seconded by Mr D. E. Tlleomin, the following being elected:— President, Mrs J. A. Johnstone; vice-presi-dents—Lady Allen, Lady Ross, Mesdames Gallaway, Joseph M’George, W. A. Moore, J. M. Ritchie, and T. K. Sidey; committee —Lady Sim, Mesdames A. Barnett, Peter Barr, Begg, Benson, F. H. Carr, Clapperton, L. F. Cleghorn, Cunninghame, Dove, Fraser, Garth Gallaway, J. L. Herbert, J. C. M'George, M’Laren, Mandeno, Marshall Macdonald, Sydney Neill, O’Neill, Pickerill, C. W. Rattray, G. It. Ritchie, K. Ross, T. C. Ross, D. T. Shand, J. Sim, Solomon, John Watson, J. Williams, Wilson, Sister Nora, Misses Gow, Joachim, F. and N. Reid, and M. Downie Stewart, 0.8. E.; Advisory Board —Messrs Peter Barr, F. H. Carr, P. L. Halsted, Leslie Harris, G. R. Ritchie, P. R. Sargood, T. K. Sidey, M.P., Dr C. E. Hercus, D. 5.0., Sir Truby King, C.M.G; honorary sur§eon, Dr L. E. Barnett, C.M.G.; honorary ental surgeon, Dr Pickerill; honorary analyst, Dr Inglis; honorary bacteriologist, Dr C. E. Hercus, D. 5.0.; honorary consulting physician, Sir Truby King, C.M.G.; honorary physicians Karitane-Harris Hospital—Drs E. H. Williams, S. B. W. Strain, F. S. Batchelor, K. Ross, R. Ritchie, D. W. Carmalt Jones, T. Fergus; honorary solicitor, Mr George Mondy; honorary foreign correspondent, Mr W. Jenkins; honorary treasurer, Mrs D. E. Theomin; delegates to general conference to be held in Wellington on July 27, 28, 29, and 30 —Mesdames Johnstone, Theomin. Joseph M'Geoge, T. K. Sidey, W. A. Moore, Cunninghame, Barnett, Marshall Macdonald, and the Misses Pattrick and Hoddinott (ex officio). Dr A. G. Fisher, professor of economics at Otago University, addressed the gathering on the subject of “Some Population Problems.”