PATEA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 152, 30 June 1932, Page 3

PATEA

PLUNKET SOCIETY. Keenness in the progress and growth of the Plunket Society in Patea was noticeable at the annual meeting of the Patea branch held last Tuesday evening, Mr. H. G. Diekip, M.P., presiding. There was an attendance of nearly a hundred, numbering both members, friends, members of Waitotara, Waverley and Alton-Hurleyville mb branch committees, and members

of the Advisory Board, of which there was a full attendance. Apologies for non-attendance were received from Mesdames A. T. Christensen. J. Drummond, Honeyfield, and Pauling. Sup norting Mr. Dickie <it the official table were the president, Mrs. T. E. Roberts, and the secretary, Mrs. L. Honeyfield.

The annual report and balance-sheet were presented, the latter showing a •redit balance of over £2OO, £4O of which was held on trust from the Waverley sub-branch. The annual re•inrt was published on Tuesday. Mr. Dickie, in moving the adoption »f the. report and balance-sheet, con■’Tatnlated the branch and its subbranches on the very successful year *hrough which it had just passed. With the administration of more than e 7OD expenses, it was very praise* worthy of the branch to comp out with •i balance just double the credit balance "oeorded at the beginning of the financial year. It was a still more wonlorful achievement when it was real ; sed that the last year had been a hard ne to everyone. He exnected that the nme amount of enthusiasm and work would bn put into the year’s activities hist as much as last year. The Plunket movement was one which had put Now Zealand on the map of the world. Sir Truby King’s visits to the British Isles had done as much for the Dominion as anv Prime Minister had done, and this outpost of the Empire should bo justly proud of this worldleader in child and mother welfare. Mr. Dickie referred to the proposed “cut” in the Government subsidy to the society of £26.000. Tt had been naid in full last year, but he was sure *hat if there was any “cut” this year that the public would get together and further continue their support. Mr. Dickie concluded with again congratulating the Patea branch on doing such splendid work both financially and in its work. Nurse Horrell had fully proved her worth, in the conscientious manner in which she carried out her duties. Air. A. T. Christensen, in seconding the adoption of the report and balancesheet. said the success reported was en ♦irely due to the executive and Nurse Horrell. and he congratulated them.

Mr. E. F. Hemingway also spoke to the report, stating that any society that began with a credit balance of £lO4 and more than doubled it during a hard year such as the last, was to be warmly congratulated. He stated that he himself would have to take a deeper interest in the society now that he had a grandson. He was glad to report to the Patea branch that one person who was helping to bring his

grandson up was Airs. Semple, who had gained her first Plunket training as a mother in Patea, where she had been a most energetic worker for the branch.

Mr. Roberts, in also speaking to the report, stated that he wished to ask the branch to give the Advisory Board more work to do. He suggested that they could win the interest of the men of the district. The ■members of the branch, by talking among themselves, naturally advertised it, but women did not talk to the men much. (A voice: Don’t they?) (Laughter). By giving the board more work to do, it would serve to keep the board members more interested, and they would pass on their interest to other mon. Mr. Ramsbottom, Mayor of Patea, also spoke, referring to the lean year the Advisory Board had had, only meeting once. He also congratulated the branch on its successful year.

Mrs. Roberts, president over the year, spoke on the marked increase recorded on visits to homes, the increase being well over 400 on last year’s figures. Statistics showed that 65 per cent, of New Zealand’s babies came under the direct supervision of the Plunket nurses. She thanked the committee for their work, which had been carried out zealously and untiringly throughout the year. Dr. W. T. Simmons also congratulated the branch on its successful financial year, and said, in deference to other speakers’ remarks, that he thought it would be unwise for the men to take a more prominent part in the work of the society. The ladies were doing wonderfully, and had done so without any considerable help from ‘heir men-folk. Nurse’s Report. Nurse Horrell submits the following summary of the Plunket work carried on in the Patea branch during the past year:— Visits to Offices.—At headquarters: Adults 900, babies 796. children 196; at Waverley: Adults 902. babies 774, children 152; at Alton: Adults 212, babies 191. children 16; at Waitotara: Adults 62, babies 62. Total visits at each branch, in same order were: 1892, 1828, 419, and 124 respectively. As the total number of visits paid to the Plunket rooms foi the previous, 193031. was 3840, the figures for the year 1931-32 show an increase of 423.

A isits to Homes.—Headquarters 446; Waverley 134; total 580.

New Babies.—Thirty-five, of which 25 were breast-fed, four breast-fed and complemented, and six artificially fed. Visits to Out-stations.—Waverley 90; Alton 51; Waitotara 24; total 165. Sales of Karitane Products, Books. Etc. —Kariyl £42 ss; Karilac £9l 15s sd; Kuril £6; literature £2 0s Id; total £142 Os 64. Tn October, during the Patea Jubilee celebrations, the rooms were kept open as rest rooms, and demonstrations were given on different items of interest to mothers and friends. Several posters were on view which had kindly been lent by the council of the society at Dunedin. Two short talks on Mothercraft were given to the girls of Standards 5 and 6 from the public and Convent schools.

T wish to take this opportunity to thank all friends who have given flowers for decorating the rooms; Mr. Meharry for testing milk for fat percentage; Mr. Roots for stocking Karilac for the convnience of the mothers: also those who have, conveyed