PLUNKET SOCIETY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 109, 11 May 1938, Page 2

PLUNKET SOCIETY

DOMINION APPEAL MORE MEMBERS NEEDED ADDRESS BY LADY GALWAY j A Dominion - wide appeal was broadcast by Her Excellency Viscountess Galway on Saturday from station IYA in opening a campaign I which is being conducted this week to I increase subscribing members of the Plunket Society throughout New Zealand. “On May 14, almost 31 years ago I to-day, at Dunedin, the foundations ■ were laid of what we know to-day as [the Plunket Society,” said Lady Gai- | way. “It is to comipemorate this date I in the life of the society that a big ! effort is being made to obtain for it ■ an increased membership. “Of the widespread influence an.‘« i immense benefits of the work per* I formed by the society, it seems an 1 anachronism to speak at this time of ;day; but, while feeling this, we must ■ also remember that the founder o; 1 the society had to bear the burden i and heat of the day. The principles ; which we are now accustomed to ; think of as almost everyday commonsense were not always so regarded. Early Difficulties Recalled “Like all pioneers of new movements, the founder of the society had no doubt to encounter in his day strong opposition and probably ridicule as well in some quarters. To take one point only, as regards the feeding of the baby, some of his ideas would have been regarded as revoluI tionary, if not dangerous, and dei cried accordingly. i “The Plunket Society was founded by two superlatively public-spirited and humanitarian people, Sir Truby and Lady King, with the invaluable co-operation of Lady Plunket, wife of the then Governor, after whom the . society was named and without whose help the difficulties encountered in founding the society might well have proved insuperable. Sir Truby ano Lady King, alas, have passed away ! from us, but we have only to com- • pare the figures of the infant death* J rate of this country in the days be* ] fore the society was founded with | those of to-day to appreciate what we ■ owe them. “I feel that every one of you who I are listening will feel, as I do. that |we could not better commemora'e i this anniversary nor better show out 1 gratitude to the founders for the immeasurable benefits they have be* , stowed upon us than by wholeheart* edly supporting the appeal which is being launched to-day.” Reduced Infant Death Rate “It may be of interest to some of jou who are not already familiar . with them if I give the figures showI ing the reduction in the infant death J rate since the foundation of the so- . ciety. In the last 30 yearj, the death rate of infants under 12 months of i age has been reduced to less than half -from 8 per cent, to just over 3 per ■ cent—and the total rate for those over four weeks of age has been reduced to less than a-quarter, that is. from 5 per cent, to about 1 per cent. “Every society, of whatever kind, has to live, in the long run, by the strength of the numbers of its regu- : lar members." Lady Galway added. "The Plunket Society is qo exception and, moreover, as moves on, new conditions arise which necessitate that a great work of this kind, besides being adequately carried on, should continue to develop. May i therefore appeal to you all to support 1 this effort toward increasing the membership of the Plunket Society in gratitude to Sir Truby King for his great work, and also because our realisation of what it means to the mothers and babies of New Zealand and. therefore, to the whole life of New Zealand of the future." •VOMEN’S INSTITUTE MANGAWEKA BRANCH Mrs J. Ince presided over a good attendance at the May meeting of the Mangaweka Women’s Institute. The Golden Thread, “Farmers’ Woman, vas taken by Miss Gardiner, who l spoke of Joan of Arc. On Anzac Day a wreath, made by a ! member, was placed on the Memorial Gate by Mrs Travis, senr. A report of the annual meeting oi' the Ruapehu Federation was given bj Mrs S. McLeod. after which Miss Harris pleased the audience with two songs. Mrs Murdoch gave an interesting ■ talk and demonstration on pruning. During the afternoon an institute 1 'poon was presented to Mrs M. Ginnane, who was secretary and president for many years. Winners of the l points competition were: Flowers, Mrs Pedersen and Mrs Dickson (equal); gingernuts. Miss I. Dicken- ! son Ist and 2nd. Something made > from a sugar bag. Mrs Dickson 1, Mrs f Pedersen 2.