MOTHERCRAFT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19989, 4 November 1927, Page 8

MOTHERCRAFT

NEW HOME OPENED ASSET FOR PLUNKET SOCIETY. There was a large attendance of medical practitioners and others interested in infant welfare at the opening ceremony of the Mothercraft Home in Campbell Street, next to the StewariKarhane Home, which was performed yesterday afternoon by Sir Tmby King, K.C.M.G. This marks a step forward in Plunket. work in the district, and the home is expected to prove of infinite value in the care of infants and mothers. Apologies for absence were received from the Hon. J. A. Young (Minister of Health), the Mayor (Mr W. J. Kogers) and Airs Rogers, the Deputy-Mayor (Mr John Morrison), Mr John Brine, of the St. John Ambulance, Mr W. A. Veitch, M.P., and others. “This home could not have been fitted up without the bequest to the City Council by the Late Air J. T. Stewart i of the property next door for the saving of infant life,” said Mr C. Palmer Brown, senior member of the Advisory Board. “The home where nurses were trained was a success from every point of view, and the need lor a new building was felt. The Society has been fortunate in buying this adjoining property for the not exorbitant sum of £1260. We owe £7OO on a mortgage on the property and the paying of this will be our goal from the iinancial point ol wiew. In addition to the purchase price of the property we have spent £225 on renovations, £3BO on furnishing, and £5O in doing up the grounds. The Karitane Home has room for two mothers and the staff, and here there is room for four mothers and two of the staff. If the staff can be accommodated elsewhere, we will be able to accommodate six mothers in this home.”

Mr Brown expressed the hope that when the time came to call for funds the public would appreciate the liabilities the Society had incurred on its behalf.

Sir Truby King congratulated the Society on having accomplished a very important part of its work in Wanganui. No one could tell how much it owed to the splendid forethought and munificience of Mr Stewart. Wanganui was the third city to establish a Karitane Home, after Dunedin and Christchurch, although it was by no means third in the matter of population. From first to last, he could do nothing but congratulate Wanganui on the support it had accorded the Plunket Society. Its district extended to Palmerston North on one side and Taumarunui ou the other, and included the whole of Taranaki. Although to some the new Mothercraft Home might seem inadequate, the speaker considered it would suffice for a long while. Twelve or 13 years previous! v- the mothers’ cottage at Dunedin jvas opened to accommodate three or four mothers at a time, and this was the most beneficent feature of the Society’s work. It was of enormous importance because it was a definite educational centre.

Sir Truby then declared the institution open and afternoon tea was served to the visitors.