ROYAL HEALTH SOCIETY.

Colonist, Volume LVIII, Issue 14406, 17 May 1917, Page 12

ROYAL HEALTH SOCIETY.

ANNUAL MEETING,

The annual meeting: of tiYe Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children (Nelson) wa 8 held in the Council Chambers yesterday afternoon^ Mrs Buchanan presided, and there wore about 25 women present. Mrs F. T. Poison read the balancesheet, which showed a credit balance of £193 3s 3d. .

Miss Ledger read the report, as follows :—

( 'Nurse Wix was granted her holiday in September, and we were pleased to get Nurse Honey field to stake her duties, which she fulfilled very satisfactorily. Increasing numbers of mothers ; have been seeking the Plunket nurse.'s ad-; \ice, and classes in- school are "appreciated by teachers and pupils. "Olir work has reached an important stage, the names of over 500 babies being on our books. We have-, lost, sight of some, whose pai*ents have left the district, and others are growing beyond babyhood, but are always welcome at the office, since we take the keenest interest in their progress. Many famiiles are now represented by two children, and of these younger ones we en^ ■ tertain high hopes, as the mother* have already had the benefit of help and counsel from the nurse. We are also greatly encouraged by hearing of little communities, of Plunket mothers in remote parts of the country —the .result perhaps of one mother's visits to the office, or the help nurse has been able to give by letter. Correspondence has been kept up with mothers in every part of the province of Nelson, from the Sounds to Murchison, and beyond Gollingwood; while Visits have been paid to the Croixelles and many other isolated places. A correspondent in InHia. has distributed a largo number of our books, 'The Care and Feeding of Baby,' and gives a good report of several Plunket babies there. I"With so enormous a district- to j cover it is impossible to do justice to [the work of helping the mothers, and [ that^ of almost greater importance, holding classes for the older girls in I the schools. __ We should very much like t& extend this work, "but to do so we I must get more financial support from the country- districts to enable us to provide a second nurse, who could travel from one centre to another, and so bring our aid within the reach of every mother. This could easily-be accomplished if all those parents who have been helped by the nurse became members of the society, which provides her services free to all. We must increase our membership and develop our usefulness, so that we may claim the continued support of the Government promised to us at the recent conference held in Wellington. "In September, Mrs. Bright's resignation of the secretaryship was received i with regret, and Miss Ledger was elected in her place. Mrs. Pogsoii also sent in her resignation for the treasurership, which was received with regret. "Dr. Truby King paid us a visit about the second week in February, and a meeting was.'hastily called to meet him, when he explained certain matters in connection with the general conference. "The, Baby Clothing.. Branch, under the supervision of Mrs Rogers, has despatched since the. last report three boxes of clothing, for -the use. of the wives and children of British sailors and. soldiers. " ;'On March Jtftih held a. most successful fete in the Botanical. Gardens. : Circulars were sent to all the schools, the idea, being. to interest the children :in the Baby Clothing Fund." A prize was given to the school which sent in the best collection of baby garments, I the Fifth Standard'girls of^the Central School being the successful competitors. Sports- were held for both boys and girls. 'Fhere were stalls for afternoon tea and other refreshments. The garments which were contributed by the public and school-children were on view. Fourteen pounds was taken at the gates, and with donations amounted to £42. After paying for expenses and giving a donation towards the Baby Fund, £30 was sent to England for distribution amongst the wives of soldiers and sailors. "The general conference w?.s held in Wellington on February 20th. Mrs Buchanan and Mr H. Hunter-Brown attended as delegates. slrs'Nalder and Miss Ledger also attended the meetings. Representatives of the Plunket Society discussed with Ministers various matters connected with the work of the society, and Sir James Allen said that as far as the Government was concerned nothing would be done to hamper the^ society in its splendid work or interfere with the voluntary basis on ■wliieh it was founded, and nothing would be done to curtail the Government assistance.. The conference decided that during the war a bnnusi of 10 per cent, would be paid to all Plunket nurses. New rules were adopted and passed ty the society They j are now being printed; also the account of the meetings of the general conference. When they arrive we hope that members will buy copies of them. "The thanks of the society fire due to the advisory board, to the auditor, the Press, Messrs Newman Bros., and to the numerous friends who helped to make the fete a success."

The report and balance-sheet were adopted. _ Officers were elected as follows: —Pre-* sident, Mrs Buchanan; vice-presidents, Me.sdames Hudson, Weeks, Fell, R. Fell, S. A. Lucas, Bett, and Knapp, lion, secretary, Miss Ledger; hon. treasurer, Mrs Berndtson; committee, Mesdames Baumber, Lock, Nalder, Edmonds, -Walker, Field, Cresswell, Hog^, H. Hunter-Brown, Judson, Rogers, R. Watson, Braddeli, and Pharazyn, Nurse Vosper, Misses Ledger and Bond; ex ofScio members of committee, Mrs Snodgrass (Mayoress), and Mrs Parker (Salvation Army) ; advisory board, Drs Lucas and Bett, Messrs Duncan and iell.

A vote of thanks was passed to the auditor, Mr J. Heath. . The president was accorded a. vote of thanks for her past services, this being carried by acclamation.