A CHILD’S RIGHT

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 37, 6 May 1927, Page 9

A CHILD’S RIGHT

IDEAL CITIZENSHIP HEALTH AND STRENGTH AIM OF PLUMKET SOCIETY (From Our Resident Reporter.) WELLINGTON, To-day. While the Government is sper. ling great sums of money in bringing people into the country from overseas the Minister of Health believes that every endeavour should be made and, in fact, declares it is the duty of everyone in New Zealand to ensure, that our own people from the day they first come into the world, should receive every facility available to become ideal citizens.

This view was expressed by the Hon. J. A., Young at the opening for practical purposes of the Karitane Home yesterday', when a big gathering of citizens witnessed the completion of the material step forward towards the reduction of infant mortality in the Dominion. Mr. Young said that 20 years had passed since Sir Truby King commenced his campaign for the reduction of infant mortality within the first year of life, and as a result of the ceaseless endeavours of Sir Truby himself, and those whose help he had enlisted during a score of years, mortality among children in the first year had been reduced from 88 in a thousand to half that number. For this the Plunket Society must take a great deal of credit for making New Zealand the leading country in the world so far as infant me :ality was concerned. It had been said that many little lives were not worth saving, but the Minister declared that every life was worth saving, and further efforts were being made to reduce the death-rate of children in .the first month of life. Mr. Young expressed gratification at public support accorded the movement and said, when the people failed to interest themselves dry rot would set in. There was no such danger in Wellington. The work was not charity, nor philanthropy, merely huminatarian. “It is the desire of the Government,” he said, “and I know the desire of everyone interested in this movement is to give every child born in New Zealand a perfect right and every opportunity to gain health and strength so that it will eventually become an ideal citizen.” Dr. T. Valintine, Director-General of Health, was pleased that relations between the nursing department and the Health Department were becoming daily more amicable, and chiefly owing to the efforts of Miss Patrick, director of the division of nursing, a better understanding . was being created, which would eventually benefit all. He looked forward to-the accomplishment of this desirable end.

It was shown that the contract price for the home was £23,000, of which £19,600 was collected, leaving £4,000 to be raised. The Rotary Club was thanked for starting the movement to institute the home. Among the donors mentioned were the Kirkaldie family, £1,500; Mrs. McCarthy Reid, £1,000; Mr. Hope Gibbons, McCarthy Trust and the Government, £I,OOO each.