CHILD WELFARE.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 November 1926, Page 6

CHILD WELFARE.

The decision of the Plunket Society to endeavour to establish a fellowship at the Otago Medical School for “child welfare research” demands the support of all who are indebted to the society or who appreciate the good work it has carried out. There are two outstanding reasons for the establishment of a fellowship. The first is, of course, the necessity for understudies to Sir Truby King, to whose unsparing work the existence of the society is dite. The demand upon his time and strength are ever increasing as the ramifications of the Plunket and kindred societies extend, and in the nature of things there will come the time when his successor must be appointed. Anyone following ifim must have special qualifications in full measure, and to obtain these it is necessary that the training which a fellowship will provide should be available without delay, as it may be assumed that only to those showing a special medical aptitude would such a fellowship be awarded. In addition, the establishment of a Child Welfare Fellowship at the University will bring the, importance of that phase of their work more definitely under the notice of the medical students. In the school of preventive medicine the Plunket Society was a leader long before the soundness of that teaching was as generally recognised as it is to-day. It is only fitting therefore that the subject of child welfare should be considered worthy of a fellowship at the training, school for our medical men of the future. It will surprise no one with any knowledge of the. society’s work that it is proposed to name the new fellowship after Lady King, as some recognition of the unsparing work she has carried out in conjunction with Sir Truby King in child welfare for so many years. The successful establishment. .of the fellowship entails a sum of £6OOO wherewith to endow it. If the society can raise half that amount and hand £3OOO to the Otago University, the latter can claim a £ for £ subsidy from the Government, but only under regulations which expire at the end of the year. With the widespread recognition of the value of the society’s work and of the importance to the nation of child welfare there is little fear that the necessary finance will not be forthcoming. Upon its own' merits, the proposal deserves support, while it will, in the words of the Plunket Society, be a method by which the great work of Sir Truby and Lady King can be safeguarded for future generations.