PROTECTION OF INFANT LIFE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3010, 22 February 1917, Page 3

PROTECTION OF INFANT LIFE

PLUMET SOCIETY CONFERENCE

RELATIONS WITH THE STATE

The conference of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and ohildren was continued yesterday. It was agreed, on Dr. Truby King's proposal, that Mrs. Algar Williams retain the chair at the conference.

The annual report of the Central Oounoil at Dunedm was presented by Mrs. Oarr, President of the Council. The report referred first of all to the difficulties that the war Lad caused in the carrying out of the society's work. They had been asked at the outbreak of war not io extend their work to such an extent as to require j appeals to the Government for more j funds. Later the demands of the Army Nursing Service had depleted the staff of nurses, and the loss of several nurses had made it necessary to train a larger number than usual of nurses at the Karitane Hospital. Mrs. Carr expressed the great appreciation of the council of the action of those Plunket Nurses who had remained at their posts in the service of the society. A Charge by the Minister. "We have been attacked by the Minister of Public Health because of our lack of progress,!' said Mrs. Carr. "I 'have 'here a mass bearing on that subject which I think it is impossible to ask you to listen to, beginning from the time of the Hon. Heaton lthodes until recent date." Boon after the Hon. G. W. Russell became Minister of Public Health, Mrs. Carr. continued, ho wrote to the society suggesting that in view of conditions, financial and otherwise, it would be well if the society would refrain from appointing additional nurses. He hoped that the society would endeavour to carry on with their present staff. The council, however, decided that tho appointpient of a Plunket Nurse for Central Otago was a. very urgent matter, and. they had very great difficulty in persuading the Department to agree to the appointment. Later requests canie from Wanganui and.Hastings for ■the appointment of second nui'ses, but 'in view-of tho first request of the Government that the staff, should not bo -increased) the branches were asked to withhold their applications. In view of these and other similar cases, it was surely unfair that the Minister should now accuse tho society of lack of progress.

Payment of Subsidies,

Mrs. Carr gave an account of a recent members of the council had had with the Minister of Public Health regarding additional subsidies. In answer to their requests, the Minister remarked pointedly on the fact that several branches had considerable sums of money in hand, and said that the Government were not prepared to pay subsidies to branches in tiiis position. Supposing AYanganui branch bad £2000 in hand, and Palmerston tad nothing, the Government would not give any aid to Wanganui, but rather would five all it could provide to Palmerston. he (Mrs. Carr) said that she thought it was an extraordinary thing that branches which had worked hard arid raised funds should be punished. And she pointed out also that, tho amount of money, £3784, represented all the cash in hand held by the twenty-four branches of the society. However, proposals would be _ made to the conference for tho extension, of thoir operations. They were not going to be, accused any longer of lack of progressiveness. They proposed to establish a Plunket nurse in every district in which there was-' reasonable prospect of maintaining one, and to tako full advantage of all the promises of support made by the Minister in the interests of child life. " '

Mrs. Caw referred also to_ publio statements made by the Minister of Public Health in Dunedin. He had been invited to open the new Phinket offices there, and on that occasion he had made most appreciative references to the work of the' Indeed, he had said that any applications made by the society for assistance would be most favourably considered by himself. On a later occasion they had interviewed Mr. Russell in Dunedin about their proposed new rules, and lie Ead made suggestions to them about certain alterations. They had all been surprised to read in the newspapers, in the account of the interview furnished by the Minister, an expression of his opinion that the society was not sufficiently progressive under its present system of management, and a statement that he proposed to nationalise the work whicli it had been carrying on. These matters would no. doubt come before the conference later. ■ The report was adopted. New Rules. The meeting went on to consider the proposed new rules. Certain suggestions were made 1 by the Minister for the organisation of the society—branches to be units, a provincial union of branches, and a Dominion council. The most important proposal made was as follows: "No branch should be allowed to dispose of any real>property without the consent of the Minister and of the Dominion Council." Mr. Russell's proposal for a provincial union of branches was not adopted. The society already is organised with Branches ns units for which a Central Council appointed by the General Conference, acts as referee and 'adviser. As to the Minister's proposals generally, the following resolution was passed: "hat this conference records its appreciation of the Minister's interest in the society ; and thanks him for the suggestions he has made, most of which were previously incorporated in ,the proposed rules of the society."