A COUNCIL OF WOMEN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11282, 9 January 1915, Page 5

A COUNCIL OF WOMEN.

—_ (By C, HAY THOMSON.) A frumeated programme for tho twelfth annual congress of the Victorian Council of Women occupied three meetings this year, afternoon and evening of Friday* November 27. both presided over h'v Lady Stanley, and the evening of next day. There had been some talk of not having the Congress at all. but happily wiser counsels prevailed, as we ot this remote corner oi the earth least afflicted of any country by tho present terrible and bitter war, are understood to be endeavouring, for the sake of all workers, to keep the wheels of life moving at as nearly tho ' normal rate as possible. But late iirrangements resulted in the absence of representatives from other State Councils, and in meagre local contributions. To those who realise the importance :;.nd the infinite possibilities of these Councils of women, a most encouraging fact was the excellent attendance- of ■delegates and visitors. I)r d. W. Barrett (Melbourne) addressed the second session upon a favourite subject of his, " Methods of dealing with Infantile Mortality." Dr Barrett ;nid diagrams are'inseparable. Conimonsen.se and Dr Barrett are also close'v associated. And if it be good for the man's own sake to have, a hero, the lecturer is evidently in still better ci.se than that oi being merely commonly sensible. New Zealand's own I)r Truby King i.s Dr Barrett's hero, and after having, with diagrams, shown the extraordinary decline in New Zealand mortality among infants in their first year of life to 38 per 1000 (Dunediu), as yet unparalleled in any other part of the globe, the lecturer went on to give a brief, emphatic account of the nan and his work "And still the wonder grew" how he, who was the medical superintendent of a luhalic asylum—where he had made marked reforms-should grow to be the comptroller of life or death among t)u> babies of the population, and thus add thousands of the " best kind of immigrant" to the people of the Dominion. Evidently ho is a Shakespeare of medicine and one longed to lu;ve his photograph. Dr Barrett first met Dr King so recently as at tho Medical Congress held at Auckland in February of lar,t year. He had heard of the marvellous results, but possibly ciiSLO'intjd them, as is natural to the scientific mind concerning what it only hears of. Dr Barrett also detailed the history of ihe " Plunket " nurses For the first time the N'.C.W. learned that they are m.t only "children's nurses." as had l)e?ii s-ipposcd, but licspitnl trained won en, with a further training taking, it appeared, from six to twelve months—in nit tlv» most recent and enlighter.ed methods of dealing with children and especially with their diet—not nurses to nurse sick children --but nurses whose specific office it : s to prevent children from being made ill or commoting disease through mistaken diet or insanitary surroundings, by instructing tho mothers " I asked how this rate.(3B) had been achieved," said Dr Barrett. "Mothers are much the same everywhere, anxious to preserve their children in life and health. The cow's milk is not superior to that distributed by the Talbot Pure- Miik Institute. The New Zealand climate in the north resembles the Australian, and the southern cities arv no colder than Hobart. New Zealand cities are neither cleaner nor dirtier than those of the Commonwealth. It could not be any of these reasons, though, perhaps, tho cow is a Jittle nearer to the child's mouth than in our cities.' - ' so Dr Barrett came to the conclusion that tho crowning factor must be the Plunket nurses, their practice and treatment, and above all, their training of the mothers. When the hx'turer stated the small cost to the Dominion Government at which ibis invaluable work is being carried on, with its voluntary committees, lecturers ar.d helpers—in spite of the nurses being paid £ls a. year more than our bush nurses receive for work full of hazards and accidents, the audience started with amaze. Possibly seme, like the present writer, .e----called another council congress, practically the whole of which was devoted to consideration of the milk question and its bearing upon infantile mortality, without visibfe result, other than recommendations that the municipalities should see to it.

Dr Barrett concluded with a strong appeal to the X.O.W. to take the matter up and not cease to agitate until a similar system was adopted here, and Victoria's 71 or 7'2 rate be brought down to New Zealand's 51, at least. Hero where we have not even midlives' registration and any woman may announce herself as a trained nurse, perhaps, like the London mother, on the score of " 'aving 'ad ten ehildring an' berried nine of 'em." Moreover, where is our Truby King, and where and O where is our sympathetic Govern ment? "Oh! whistle o'er the lave o't.''

During the year Mrs Charles Strong, senior vice-president, and Mrs Edward Bage, honorary treasurer of the Council, have been absent in Europe, and both were welcomed hack affectionately. Mrs Strong had been absent from "Home." for many years, and seems to have been duly impressed and cleprosseocl at sight of the poverty there. More than one of her auditors could have told how like a blow upon the heart it is. to an Australian, to seethe East End of London for the first time. Mre Strong, like many others, Avas unable to assign a. reason for this dire poverty, and tvas unprovided Avith a panacea. Tho lowne.SH of wages shocked her—haif-a-rroAvn a day for a charAvnman. if she brought her dinner, two shillings if she didn't -and she feared there was a good deal of drunkenness. "What wonder:

Concerning the British National Councils Mrs Strong was disappointed. The people seemed so conventional, so conservative ; she thought that here Ave, did better work and in a freer way. But had she come like a king of old with " hands full of gifts.'' she would have found the people very kind, the atmosphere completely thawed. Mrs Strong pleasantly related her visit to Dublin in June.'when the travelled and experienced Lady Aberdeen, former]v Vice-reine of Canada. President of the International Council of Women. ivas promoting a. small but very complete "Civic Exhibition." Tho Australian was very graciously received by that lady, and at luncheon and dinner she was given the place of honour. l)r Alice Salamons. of Berlin, and f>omo Canadians were present, but any New Zealanders who mav have been

about at the time seem to hnvo escaped the ordeal. Mrs delegated to Homo, where tin 1 q?\u,uennial meeting took place in April, and liad also met Dr Alice Salamons, who niitst- posseas a vorv impressive personality. Airs Bage nave a circumstantial account of nil Mm doings of the great gathering, but, concerning what must have, been one of the most interesting incidents of tlio Congress, a visit to tins Montesson School six. said frankly thai, t-lio crowd iim l crushing was .so great that she saw nothing. At Die nrevious quinquennial, held at'.Montreal. Canada, in 1009. the Australian p.-irtv. which included Mrs llenrv Dobson, president ot the Insinanian Council, and Mr* Bage and Mrs Fvelvn Condi, (if the Victorian Council w»s chained with nn invitation to hoid this- war's International Congress in Melbourne. Hut Koine'* mvHation had almndv been accepted. >t was a disappointment to loam that the next Collcross (BW>) is to take place at Chris tiania. As if to assuage our ieolin<>s. Mrs Bage brought the message that probably a delegation from the International Council would Austialasia during the intervening .wan?.