HEALTH OF THE CHILDREN

Taranaki Daily News, 7 May 1930, Page 10

HEALTH OF THE CHILDREN

STRATFORD PLUNKET SOCIETY. SIXTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. The Mayor (Mr. P. Thomson) presided over an attendance of 35 ladies at the annual meeting of the Stratford Plunket Society yesterday, when congratulations upon the conclusion of a successful year’s operations .were extended to the committee. At the conclusion of the business members were invited to inspect the new rooms just completed in Juliet Street. The annual report stated that the nurse’s report when compared with the previous year disclosed a considerable increase in the society’s activities. In the report the figures for the previous year are given in parentheses: Stratford—New babies 128 (132), visits to homes 078 (686), visits to rooms, adults 2209 (2226), babies 1736 (1604), children over two years 687 (171). Eltham— New babies 62’ (55), visits to homes 569 (460), visits to rooms 1170 (1046), babies 873 (719), children over two years 351 (100), During the year Dr. Derrick (medical director) visited Stratford on twb occasions to confer with the committee and attend a conference of Taranaki delegates for the purpose of considering re-allocation of territory. Owing to pressure of work and heavy calls on the nurse’s time the committee was reluctantly compelled to relinquish the Opunake sub-branch at the end. of November. Permission was granted by the borough council to hold a house-to-house canvass and a special circular appeal was made to Plunket mothers, the amount realised to date being £192 18s lid. Other efforts to secure funds to carry on the work were the annual ball, hoop-la stall at the winter show, and a street day. Revenue from sale of flowers was very satisfactory (£l7 10s lid) compared with £5 17s 9d the previous year. The desire for permanent quarters for the branch has materialised and the committee was arranging for the official opening of the new rooms at an early date.

The revenue from members’ subscriptions was rather disappointing considering the service available and the committee again urged all mothers to become members. The balance-sheet disclosed that the society commenced the year with £4BB 10s 3d, and receipts from all sources totalled £799 7s lid. The expenditure amounted to £917 7s 3d, leaving the general account in credit to the extent of £137 12s. ■'lncluded in the expenditure were items of £223 12s 6d for the nurse’s salary, £37 6s Id for travelling expenses, £4l 5s 5d for rent, cleaning, light and fuel, £179 19s Id for Karitane products, £192 18s lid for the building fund, £179 17s 4d for the purchase of land, and £l9O for motorcar. The only liability was £547 5s on account of the then unfinished building. Plunket nurse E. M. Paynter reported as follows: Babies under nurse’s care, 515; number of new babies for year, 128; visits paid to homes, 978; visits paid to rooms (adults). 1845; visits to rooms, babies 1736, children over two years 687; visits to rooms (visitors), 364; letters received and answered, 91. ACTIVITIES AT ELTHAM. The Eltham report was as follows: The membership now numbers 130, an advance of seven on last year. On September 25 ■ the society took' charge of the tea rooms in connection with the flower show and £6 was added to the funds. A shop day was held, and the result was £27. These were the only two efforts made duripg the year, the committee realising that the society had been so much before the public during the carnival. At a meeting of the advisory board and committee it was decided riot to commence • building on the site in Bridge Street donated by Mrs. Wilkinson until the society had more funds iii hand.* At a 'committee meeting.'held later it was proposed'that as it may be some time before the new rooms would be available, the old ones should be put in better order. The rooms are now in very good order and are a credit to the society. At Eltham, the nurse, reported,, she had 255 babies' under her care. There were 62 new babies and 569 visits had been paid to homes, while 935 adults, 873 babies, and 365 children over two years of age had visited the rooms. Visitors had paid 244 visits to the rooms.’ . . • The Eltham balance-sheet showed receipts; amounting to £ll7 ,4s 6d, including a balarice of £46 16s 7d from last year. The expenditure had .been £94 17 s 2d, leaving the branch with £l3 6s 6d in hand, £4 18s 5d in the bank, and £2l Is 5d on deposit in the' pest office. Against these resources were cheques outstanding totalling £l6 13s. MORE SUBSCRIBERS WANTED. In moving the adoption of the report and balance-shfeet the president extended a welcome to. delegates from Eltham. She referred briefly to the finances of the society, pointing out that the overdraft, represented by the amount the society was unable to pay .in respect of the new building, stood at £230, a sum which the society should strain every effort to reduce. Mrs. Curtis drew attention to the small sum of £l5 10s shown as subscriptions and said that a membership of 62. was very disappointing in a large district such as Stratford. This w«s the more apparent kyhen it was noticed that the mem-' bership of . the Eltham branch was 130 —more than double that of Stratford. “It would be extremely gratifying,” she said, “if every member managed to enrol one additional member this .year.” Mrs. G. Hall seconded the motion. “I congratulate you upon the excellent results of your year’s work,” said Mr. Thomson. One could not look for

any better or more worthy work in a community, he continued. 'lf all the aims could be carried out there would be healthier individuals, better communities and a lasting benefit would be conferred upon the nation. Mrs. R. Masters drew attention to the fact, that this year a special canvas had been made' of all parents who had received assistance from the society and this fact, no doubt, had contributed to the apparently small number of financial members. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Officers were elected as follow: Patronesses, Dr. Doris Gordon and Mrs. A. W. Budge; president, Mrs. L. R. Curtis; vice-presidents, Mesdames T. Cuthbert, R. Masters and L. Riera; town general committee, Mesdames Cuthbert, Riera, Hall, Masters, Fredric, Allen, Mark, Martin. Hunt, R. H. White, Sole, Abraham, Bishop, Jardine, Steven, Rear, Pitt, Davis, Dixon, E. Young, Kay, Malone, H. A. Hunt, T. King, Sister Kay, Scott, G. King, and from the Eltham branch Mesdames H. G. Carman and L. Weir; country representatives, Mesdames Boyce, Galbraith, Hunger, Kirkby, O’Neill, Hopkirk, Henderson, W. Martin, Burton, Hine, H. Masters, Shannon, Schumacher, Adlam, G. Smith, Marchant, Harkness, Clemow, Wbeller, Walter, Lash, Pegg and H. Graham; advisory board, Drs. Gordon and Steven, Rev. Father -McLaughlin, Revs. Beale, McGregor and Skuse,' Messrs. J. W. McMillan, R. Masters, D. J. Malone. It. R. Tyrer, J. W. Boon and W. j. Polson; hon. solicitor, Mr. R. R. Tyrer; lion, auditor, Mr. G. A. Carter; hon. secretary and treasurer, Mrs. T. Urwin. FACILITIES AT MOUNTAIN. PARKING PLACE FOR MOTORS. . Those who have. recently visited the Stratford mountain resort have been greatly impressed by the possibilities of a site for a motorists’ camp and have suggested that the committee should make provision for adequate parking areas. With this in view the east "committee met members of the Stratford branch, of the South Taranaki Automobile Association at the resort during the weekend. The party was taken over vari-. ous spots adjacent to the houses, and the unanimous opinion was that the area in front of the houses should be reserved as a parking place for picnickers and should be laid out with this end in view. It was also agreed that one of the finest possible parking areas could be made at a minimum of cost in the area to the west of the houses. Some beautiful spots were afterwards inspected on the new. two-way road being formed towards the plateau, where it was suggested numbers of single camping sites could be made available, especially at Ladyshoe Camp, about a mile above the houses. FOR SERVICES RECEIVED. RECOGNITION OF PLUNKET WORK £ Tt would appear that if the officebearers . and members of the general committee, numbering 54 in all, are taken from the total membership of the society, the support you receive from outside is almost negligible,” said the Mayor, Mr. P. Thomson, in making an appeal for the enlistment of more active sympathisers to the Plunket movement at yesterday’s annual meeting of the Stratford society. The society, lie said, was doing a wonderful work and he agreed with the president (Mrs. L. R. Curtis) that while perhaps there were many parents to whom it would be a hardship to have to pay for such services as were voluntarily rendered 'by the society, there were also many taking advantage of the facilities who could well'afford to make some tangible recognition. These at least should enrol as members. After quoting figures from the nurse’s report he indicated that the volume of work within the Stratford district was about double what it was in Eltham, where there were many more members. Somehow, parents in Stratford were failing to show' appreciation of the nurse’s services to the same extent as they were in the Eltham district. Mr. Thomson went on to say that his remarks were hot Intended to prevent people from making free and full use of" the society’s facilities. It W ; as one of the basic features of the organisation to extend its assistance to all shades of the community and to work upon the widest scope possible. INSUFFICIENT CAPITATION. ELTHAM’S REQUIREMENTS. The question of increased capitation for schools, was discussed at the annual meeting of householders at Eltham.'Mr. Ricketts stated that the amount they had. been receiving had jbeeri altogether too small. Last year this was £171; including an additional, grant of £22, whereas the .work of .cleaning, etc., had cost £2lO, leaving. the committee £39 behind. He, suggested that between £220 and £240 per annum was required, and that the capitation should be .on the basis of the average? number of children attending. Owing to being half a child behind iri thpir average last year they were deprived of an additional £2O. Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., said they shoiild have sufficient money granted to do the work of cleaning. Mr. Fitzgerald urged that some indication of the amount, considered necessary should be forwarded to the department. This would be not less ■ than £2OO. Mr. Ricketts said it would take about 12s. per child per annum. A resolution .was carried unanimously that it was considered that the capitation allowance was' insufficient, particularly from grade IV. upwards, and that this should be 12s. per child for the grade of the Eltham school. ELTHAM GOLF,, TEAM CHOSEN. The following golf players from Eltham have been selected to play New Plymouth at New Plymouth during the week-end:—-L. Quin, J. Quin, L. Abbott, A. Stewart, H. Casey, H. Wills, St. L.. Reeves, N. Phillips, F. Clemow, R. Darling, P. de Launay, H. Gibson, R. Lee, J. Morton, O. Casey, W. Hill, F. Fallows, A. Chrystal, R. Free, J. Campbell, R., Ritter, E. Carter, A. Tiplady, T. Fountaine. ELTHAM FOOTBALL CLUB RACE. Following are the handicaps for the 75yds foot race to be run on Taiimata Park, Eltham, at the week-end;—Prince scr, Hughes, Cooper 3yds, Noble, R.

■ . ... .> ■■■- ■ -'I- -r : Bourke, Banks,. R. Penniall, D. Knuckey 4yds, Clare, Townsend, Vincent, R. Trolove, T. Attrill syds, Osborne,' -F. Bo» cock, R. Taylor 6yds, Casey, : T, Taylor, J. Groves, H. Potts 7yds, P. Gavigah,. R. Bocock, V. Anderson,. D. Jones, H. Slocombe, H. Ward, J. Barker, E. Pat* ten Byds; L. Patten, G. Crudeh, ' R. ■ Campbell, H. Elliot Oyds. - a ■ - ■ ■ ■— ’ ‘ KING’S THEATRE—STRATFORD. : . “THE RIVER OF ROMANCE." - Henry B. Walthall, for 19 years * screen favourite, will be seen hr the biggest role of his screen career, /that of General Jeff Rumford, in “The River of Romance,” “Buddy" Rogers’ new starring Paramount picture, which is being shown at Stratford. He played in. a great number of celluloid successes, including “The Birth of a Nation,”.: Boy of Mine,” “The Unknown Purple, and “The Golden Bed.” In “The Ri>r of Romance,” as Rogers’ father, Walthall is the stately military man who considers his honour gone because his son, reare. in the East since boyhood, refuses to comply with the southern code> and ng > a duel with a jealous rival. Mary Brian has the feminine lead as Lucy, '' a - thall’s youngest ward. June Collyer is the elder ward, who seeks the heart of the handsome Rogers, but who forsakes their love when Rogers disappears after failing to fig'ht the duel. Wallace Bceiy plays the blustering, sympathetic gam-, bier who helps Rogers toL’come hack as the mysterious Colonel Blake and win the love of Lucy-