PLUNKET SOCIETY.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16857, 10 June 1920, Page 2

PLUNKET SOCIETY.

« ANNUAL MBETINGr. The annual meeting of the lfc>yal New Zealand Society for tii& Health of Women inid Children (ihe Muuket buci-iyj was held yeei ' toiiiay afternoon in tiie -Vlaaonic Hall. 'I'he ueputv-iiayor (Air J. \Y. Ueanliuid) presided over a very large attendance, which included. Dr. Truby King, G.M.G. 'Ihe annual report suUca that trio New Zealand infcuit mortality death rate lor 1919 was the lowest yet reached, being for the whole Dominion 4.6 per cent. The Plunket nurses had' met during t-iio year the soldiers' wives and babies arriving by transports, and had given help to the mothers. Many of these .English mothers were now coming- regularly to the rooms, and had expressed keen appreciation of the work and advice of the nurses. The committee was indebted to the Patriotic Society for its grant of £50 towards this particular v.ork cf tr.e Society. The nurses had had a very busy year, and had earned the committee's thanks for their untiring devotion to the work. Lady lihodes had consented to become a vicc-p resident in Mra Gerald Stead's place. Her generous donation of £1000 to the Baby Hospital was by no means her only help to the Society, and in recognition o£ her v.'oil; the committee had decided that a ward iii the Baby Hospital be* named after her. In the death of Lord Plunket the Society suffered the loss of a patron whose name and influence had been o£ the greatest value to it. Mrs T. Hay, a vice-president of the Society, had admirably fulfilled the position of acting-president in place of the late Mrs ~W. W. Morion. During the year 5566 mothers and 4624 children had visited the cfficc, while 3553 visits had been paid to homes. Tho country branches were visited frequently, and new branches lir.d heon formed at Springfield and Kowai Bush, Glentunnel and little P.ivsr. Since April Ist, 1919, 50 full-time babies and 6 premature babies had been admitted to th's Baby Hospital. One thousand four hundred visitors, including a number from America, Australia-. and India, hud been received at tho hospital during tho year. The balance-sheet showed the receipts to be £782 17s fid. and the* expenditure £527. The Baby Hospital" receipts were £1423 12s 3d, and the expenditure £1407 ISs sd, leaving a balance of £25 15s sd. The adoption of tho report and balancesheet was moved by the chairman, and seconded by Dr. A. C. Pandston, who stated that tho crux of tho position was foitad in the statement in the report that infant mortality in Flaw Zealand was only 4.6 pier cent. The average infant mortality in England was 10 to SO per cent. Very few people realised what the initiation and carrying on of tha Plunket work meant, but to the medical men of tho city it meant a great deal. He paid a tribute to the committee, and especially to Mrs A. H. Bristed and Miss Ro-o Tabart, and proposed a vote of thanks to Mrs Hay, the acting-president. The report and balance-sheet was adopted. Mrs T. Hay made a short in which she made a plea for additional funds to carry on the work of the Society. Dr. Truby Kin? then delivered an interesting address (reported elsewhere), after which afternoon tea and a short musical programme were provided. 'The ofFce-bearers for the ensuing year aro as follows; —President, F. H-. Pyne; vice-presidents, Mrs T. Hay, Mrs H. A. Kni?ht and Lodv Rhodes; committe* l , Mt3 H. D. Acland, Mrs R. E. Alexander, Mrs R. W. Anderson, Mrs A. TJ. Bloxnm. Mrs A. Boyle. Mrs C. Chilton, Mrs L. Clr,-k, Mrs "VV. B. Cresswell, Mrs L C. B. Fi'Hseth. Mi v s A. C. Freeman, Mrs Des>ns, Mrs M. H. Godbv. Mrs H. HMlnnd, Mrs G. M. L. Lester, Mrs C. W. Beid, Mrs G. K. 7!ho''""i. Robins, Mrs A. C. Snrdston, Mrs EI. R. Smith. Mrs A. St.milcnd. Mrs J. St#-pp-neon. Mi=s Newman. Mrs H. T. J. MWs Maud Tnbnrt, Mrs J. Cracroft "Wilson • idvisory board. Mes?rs H. D. A eland, A. H. Rrist-ed. W. H. Clark, G. L. Donaldson, If. H. Godby, H. A. Kni?h+; honorary phvsi- ; •ian-3 to tho ChrMchurch Krrit«no Bn*v Hosrital, Dr. G. M. L. IvstT and Dr. A. C. -ondqton, honorary s-scre'ary, M's A. H. : R*is'"d; honorary treasurer, Miss Roee Paburt. J