PLUNKET SOCIETY

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18423, 2 July 1925, Page 2

PLUNKET SOCIETY

+ ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting; of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children (Piunket Society) was held yesterday, tho Mayor (Mr J. K. Archer) presiding over a large attendance. The Mayor apologised for the absence of Sir Truby King, who had sent a telegram expressing his regret at not being able to be present, and congratulating the Canterbury centre on its progress. in proposing the adoption of the annual leport, uie Mayor said lie wislw.l co cony, atmuic the organisation on tncworn Jt was doing. it was one of those tilings wliidi women could uo eve.so miicii oettcr tliau men. He was suic mey were glad to have back as prei3Kio.it -Mrs cracroft.. Wilson, and he know something of the ability of the secretary, Mrs >\'ood. Thero hail been fewer attendances at tho central station this year than in the previous om\ but the infantile paralysis had made it undesirable that children should be brought together. Branches had been established at Papanui and at Sydenham. The establishment of a mothers' cottage at Karitane had been a big step in the right direction. There had been a very encouraging increase in the number of babies treated tit Karitane. He was very pleased with the way the work was extending, not only in New Zealand, but in other parts of the world. Perhaps the most striking thing was that work had actually beon commenced in South Africa, two nurses having been sent from the Dominion to that country. 110 could assure members that there was uo work that appealed to tho City as a whole so much as that of the Piunket Society. Everyone was tinder an immense debt of gratitude to the members of tho organisation for their services. Lady Hosking's Addross. Lady Hosking, president of the Wellington Society, who seconded tho motion for the adoption of the report, said the problems that faced the centres in New Zealand differed according to the life of tho locality, but the policy of the Society was the same from one end of the Dominion to the other. When the Society was formed tho aims and objects were thought out Jby Dr. Truby King, and as they had been written down in 1007, so were they in 1920 Vlt was not altogether the patchwork of making well when illness had come, that the Society had set itself, but the grand and lasting work of educating women to prevent illness. Tho Piunket Society was the finest system that had yet been devised for carrying that education into homes where otherwise the chaos of conflicting and unreasoning advice would hold sway. The system made no cxtraya--gant claims as to eliminating all illness, but it did claim to provide trained experts for the teaching of women to look after their own health and that of their children. 'Tho most important development in the work began ton years ago in the giving of antenatal advice to mothers. A pamphlet on the subject was issued, which urged mothers to apply to tho nurses for com-mon-sense advice. Lady Hosking gave an account of the conference on women's work held at Wembley Exhibition, and said it was inspiring to see the intense interest displayed by English people in the Piunket movement. She appealed to the audience to consider the work as the finest that any woman could do, because it was making a lasting impression for good upon the national health and character. An admirable campaign started last year by the . Government, had paid especial attention to .pre-natal care, a work which had been carried on by ■ the Piunket Society for the last ten years, and the Society was only too glad to work with the Health Department. The Society was grateful to tho Hon. W. Downie Stewart for the scheme iby which it was notified by the Registrars of all births. After outlining the work of the Wellington branch of the Society, Lady Hosking said: "We all have to put up with unfriendly criticism, and I dare say it keeps us up to the mark; anyway, that view helps us to bear it smilingly. Besides, we have St. Peter's advico, 'With welldoing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.'" Pre-Natal Care. Dr. Elaine Gurr, of the Health De-. partment, gave an address on- antenatal work. She said she wished to outline the work since its inception in New Zealand. Sir Truby King had laid tho foundation stone of pre-natal work in this country, when he established the .Piunket Society in Dunedin in 1907. Comparatively recently attention was drawn to the high maternal mortality, and also to the high mortality of young infants. It was to eliminate this mortality that Sir Maui Pomare, Sir Truby King and others had organised a campaign. The Minister had said that until every expectant mother .was educated, there would always be-an element of danger. The aims and. objects of tho work were to maintain a healthy expectant mother, t> instruct her, and to secure a healthy breast-fed child and an undamaged mother. In order to carry out thesa aims, the Department was establishing clinics in the four centres of New Zealand. The field was gradually being extended, and the Piunket nurses were being instructed in pre-natal work as well as the caro of infants.

"The Simple Life.' * . Dr. I. Mclntyre said he proposed to say . something of the prevention of disease by open-air treatjnent. Community life could be traced from its beginnings down to the present highly civilised state of mankind. The civilisation had been purchased at a very high cost,- and part of the cost was disease. Diseases like consumption and cancer did not appear in a race in its native state, until the white man brought it to them. The increase of

(lipase had mad* a "health-army" 1 necessary. Natives had a drastic way ot dealing with the unfit. Weakling babes and old people wero destroyed, and that was an efficient way of banishing disease. Other methods had to l»» fallen back on to-day. and one ot them was to prevent people from becoming unfit. People had gone too far away from -Nature, and it would pay tluiii to live a simpler life. Children should be supplied with good pint" natural foods—like milk, butter, eggs and vegetables. Native children did not have to spend the best days of their lives cramped in schools, and neither were they hampered with clothes. Schools should have a maximum amount of fresh air, and children should bo allowed to sleep outside. Fifty years ago to be told that one had consumption was a warrant that -one would be dead in a year, but now at tho Cashmere Hills, "o per cent, d cures were obtained from a treatment of fresh air. sunshine and plain foods. Thf» principle of fresh air and simple foods should bo applied to the children, and then they would have nothing to fear for the coming generations. President's Thanks. The president of tho Society, Mrs Cracroft Wilson, thanked the speakers, saying that the addresses had been most Lady Hosking was looked on as ono of tho bulwarks of the Society, and the speaker would like to stress" the remark that the Society was not only out to euro sick babies, but to prevent well babies from becoming ill. Dr. Elaine Gurr was in the forefront of nil tho pre-natal work. Mrs Cracroft Wilson also thanked the medical officers, the matron of the Karitane Homo, the nurses and the helpers for their services. Election of Officers. The following 'officers were elected: President, Mrs J. Cracroft Wilson; vico-presidents, Mesdames Algar Williams, H. 1?. Smith, J. Stevenson; committee, Mesdames G. Aitken, H. D. Acland, R. E. Alexander, J. K. Archer, H. Acton-Adams, R. W. Anderson, A. Boyle, J. H. Blaclcwell, A. H. Bristed, A. It. Bloxam, W. Bellamy, E. Bouiton, C. Chilton, E. J. Cordner, L. Clark, J. Deans, J. Deans, jun., B. H. Gilmour, P. Greenwood, E. Harper. E. Harris, J. S. Hawkins, W. Ingle, P. A. Johnson, H. A. Knight, G. Lester. J. McCombs, R. M. Morten, J. S. Neville. T. Overton, F. Pvne, Adjutant Robins. C. E. Rhodes, Tahu Rhodes, J. Studholme, J. Selby, H. T. J. Thacker. H. Thompson, G. E. Wright, A. J. Whitlock and Misses Baeley, It. Muir, C. Pyne, and R. Tabar't; hon. secretary, Mrs Cecil AVood; hon. treasurer, Mrs M. H. Godbv; advisory board, Messrs H. D. Acland. A. H. Bristed, W. H. ■ Clark. G. L. Donaldson, M. H. Godby, and H A. Knight: hon. phvsicians to the Christehurch Karitano Baby Hosnital, Dr. O M. Lester, Dr. A. C. Sandston, Dr H. T. D. Acland. Dr. F. V. Revan-Brown, Dr. B. H. Gilmour, Dr. j II Widdowson, and Dr. W. T. Glasgow.

RICHMOND HILL GOLF CLUB'S DANCE. Seldom lias the Sumner Town Hall presented a more charming scheme of decoration than that which greeted the large number of members and guests who attended the dance organised by a committee of members of the Richmond Hill Golf Club last night. Once inside the cosy interior of the hall, lounge and supper room, the boisterous elements outside were completely forgotten. The function was one of the most successful .the club has ever held. The members of the committee were: Mrs 15- TO. H. Whitcombe, Mrs W. I'Best. Mrs H. Y. Widdowson, Mrs V. E. Hamilton. Misses K. Selby, .Doras .Tamieson, Frances Hamilton, Sybil Thompson, liiffe Lawrence, Messrs J. Servrl-Gowing. AY. G. Black (treasurer), C. Wilson, J. A. Jamieson. J. Wood and J. I). Lawrence, jun. Hion. secretary) and they had nil been working hard to ensure the comfort and enjoyment of their guests, a?P:l that their efforts exceeded ail expectation was plainly seen. The decorative scheme in the hall was carried out in all the autumn tints, varying from dee]) cream to orange, the oblong centrepiece of latticed streamers was held .in place by looped streamers extended to the walls, r.nd bunches of balloons toning exactly with the colour scheme Ave re hung at intervals round the lattice work. Au uncommon note was struck by green barrels containing tall shrubs placed at intervals round the hall and on the stage, each barrel being tied round Avith an orange bow. One half of the stage was cosily furnished Avith easy i:hairs as a lounge for the onlookers, Avhile the other war occupied by Marti ton's Jazz Orchestra., Avhich dispensed the latest music for the dancing. The supper room of the hall was converted into a spacious lounge for tho dancers, and was furnished with couches and easy chairs. Tall ferns were placed at intervals, and orange curtains at the windows of tho lounge and the hall struck a bright note. The lights at all parts of the building were artistically shaded Avith flowers of a soft yellow shade and cast a subdued light which, showed to advantage' the rest of the decorations. A delicious supper wa3 served in a large mp.rquee decorated with greenery and specially heated for tho occasion. The tables Avere ornamented with tall vases of pink antirrhinums, and the shades on the lights toned Avith the floral decorations.

Amongst those present were: Mr and Mrs B. E. H. Whitcombo, Mr and Mrs X. H. .Skinner. Mr and Mrs H. Y. Widdowson and Miss Phyllis Widdowson, Mrs W. H. Nicholson,' Mr and Mrs V. E. Hamilton, Mr and Mrs C. Wilson, Mr and Mrs E. C. Bawnsley (Waimate), Mr and Mrs J. Guild Mr and Mrs W. G. Black, Mr and Mrs Galbraith, Mr and Mrs W. J. Sim, Major and Mrs Wickens, Mr and Mrs .S. Dalton, Mr and Mrs Murray, Mr and Mrs E. Bartley, Mns H. J. Marrmer, Mr and Mrs Norman Barlow, Mr and Mrs E. T. Menlove, Mr and Mrs G. F. Allen, Mr and Mrs 0. Grut, Mr and Mrs S. W. Dean, Mr and Mrs Wethey, Mr and Mrs L. Treleaven, Mrs F. A. Tapson, Mr and Mrs Gerrit van Ascli, Mr and Mrs S. C Donaldson, Mr and Mrs Whittaker, Mr and Mrs A. F. Wright, Misses K. Selby, Vera Barlow, Alix Kirk, Phyllis AViddowsorf, Janet York, Sarita Wooldridge, Grace- Wilson, Marian' Reese, I. Jaine, Doreen MeLennen, Frances Hamilton, Edna Heslop, Buxton (2), Parsonson, Sybil East, Hilary Buss, Kena Boulton, Elsie Da vies, Maude Davies, Myrtle Davies, Winnie Greig, Meg Wiggins, Joan Johnson, Nesta Murphy. Ilazal Hallidav. Airini Partridge-, Mr and Mm Warren Fishor, Messrs W. 11. Jamieson, R. Hutchinson, R. Booth, Murray Hobbs, M. J. Burns, A B. Hobbs, T. Wilson, P. Harris, G. Larorenson, C. S. Gibbs, E S. Grant, I). Hall, F. Parris, R. Barber, Whittaker, 0. Allen, T. Merry, N. K. Smyth, F. C. Cother. L. Hensley. P. and M. Bolam, F. Thompson, G. White, Kirkwood, Duke, Flemincr, C. Sead-Gowins;, J. 0. Law. L. Boulton, H. C. Jamieson, N\ McDowell, W. J. Murray, R. E. Baxter. H. Sinclair. W. H. Jackson, H. Eliott, E. Hartell, Morris, R. Hastie, Courage, Dr. Fife Slater.